Phoenix Weasley
by Acro111
Summary: Lord Voldemort is dead. Phoenix and George have been happily married with children and a successful business. Now that the war is over, will Hogwarts finally be normal? Find out as the next generation begins their life in the magical community. SEQUEL TO PHOENIX MALFOY
1. 2014 Quidditch World Cup

"Get up!" There were sharp knocks on the door, "Get up, now." Ricky groaned and pushed himself up, squinting in the darkness he saw the lumps of his four friends bump around.

"I hate your mom." A blonde haired lump groaned, "Why is she always on school schedule?" dark, nearly black eyes glared through a sleeping bag at him.

"Just get up." Ricky yawned and sat up, he kicked the lump directly at the edge of his bed, a sharp feminine shriek came from under the blankets.

"Ricky!" messy black hair frizzed in the girls face as she sat up.

"Someone wake Cli up," Ricky stood and motioned to the last lump in the room. He scratched his hip as he stepped over his female friend.

"He's your brother, Neo." The girl snapped as she laid back down. Neo mocked her behind her back and yawned.

"Why are we getting up at the crack of dawn?" Neo asked, his black eyes squinting in the early morning darkness.

"World Cup," Ricky answered, "My Uncle Harry has a VIP box set up for us." he opened his door and stood back as his little brother tumbled in, "Spying on us?" he asked, bending down to take the extendable ears from his brother.

"N-No!" Mikey protested, he pulled at the extendable ears, "Mum wanted me to make sure you were awake!" Mikey noticed the girl by his brothers bed, "Mum said Allie was supposed to sleep with Victoire and Dominique." Ricky glanced back as his feminine friend.

"Ah, Allie's no girl," He grinned, Allie sat up, her blanket held up to her collar bone, "She's one of the boys." He ruffled Mikey's flaming red hair, "Just go tell mum we'll be down soon." With that he closed the door and set about getting dressed.

"Do you have to sleep in boxers?" Allie asked as she turned her eyes away from the boys getting dressed.

"Like what you see?" Neo grinned, his jeans undone and hanging off his hips.

"Not at all." Allie stuck her tongue out, pulling a face. She yawned and flopped back down on the carpeted floor. Ricky watched her as she ran a hand through her wavy black hair.

"Cli!" Neo was beating the other lump, Ricky turned his gaze back to his friends, "Get up, you bookworm lump!"

"Get off," Cli warned, "Or so help me I'm going to-"

"You're underaged," Allie cut him off, "You're not going to do anything," she stood up, the blanket falling around her ankles. The boys looked at her, "What?" she asked, Ricky opened his mouth to say that maybe she should have slept with the girls when she held up a hand, "Never mind, you're just going to mock how I wake up." Not at all what the three boys were going to do, but they just watched as she grabbed her backpack and pushed out the room.

"Did she look different to you two?" Ricky asked his friends.

"No." Neo threw a shirt on and shook out his blonde hair.

"She looked exactly the same as she did last night." Cli said, his electric blue eyes still hazed with sleep.

"Yeah," Ricky slipped his jacket on, "Of course." Once the three boys were dressed they met Allie coming out of the bathroom, and walked over to the table in the ever shrinking flat. "Where's mum?" Ricky asked as he sat down.

"She's just left to meet your Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny at the campsite." and older George Weasley answered. Through the years his bright red hair had dimmed, but his joking hadn't. George loved to prank his children and any company that came to the flat above the store. "We'll be meeting Neville and Hannah in," George looked at the clock on the wall, "Half an hour, Ricky can you make sure your sister and cousins are up?" Ricky never understood why his parents had them check on each other. He could easily yell Minnie's name to see if she was up. He snatched a glass of pumpkin juice off the table and walked to his sisters door which was between his and Mikey's.

He knocked, "Minnie? Vi? Dominique?" He waited and knocked again, "Are you up?" he asked.

"Oui," Victoire pulled open the door, her silvery-blonde hair was hanging like a curtain of silk down her back, she smiled at her cousin. "Good morning, Ricky." she hugged him before going to the table.

"Oui," Dominique mocked her older sister, "Hey Ricky." She let Ricky ruffle her bright red hair. Minnie was last out of the room, her platinum blonde hair braided down her back and her brown eyes half closed from lack of sleep. Ricky turned back to the table and watched as Neo nearly breathed out his juice as he watched Victoire take a seat gracefully between him and his twin. He snickered, Victoire was very aware of her ancestry, she liked to flaunt it unlike Dominique. However, sworn to secrecy, Victoire was dating Teddy Lupin. Ricky often questioned why he was sworn to secrecy by his cousin when the two didn't seem to keep their relationship secret?

Ricky glanced at Allie, he knew his Slytherin friend disliked Victoire for her faulting her veela ancestry. At the moment, Allie was ignoring Victoire, which Ricky was thankful for, he didn't want another incident like on the Hogwarts express as the family came home for the summer break. Allie tucked her long hair behind her ear, she glanced up from her breakfast plate at him, her blue-green eyes looked at him questioningly. Ricky downed his juice and just smiled at her. Allie shook her head and went back to her breakfast.

Half an hour later, George tried with all his might to get the kids together. Parading down Diagon Alley before the sun was even up, Ricky was thankful the Alley was nearly empty. Victoire walked upright behind George, one hand holding Minnie's hand, the other holding Mikey's. George was telling them how Bill and Louis were already at the camp along with the rest of the family. Ricky remembered the first time his friends had realized just how big his family was, they could hardly believe his mother was Phoenix Malfoy, but when he introduced them to his vast family, they could barely contain their shock.

"Bout time you lot showed up." Neville beamed from the Leaky Cauldron door, he let the troop walk in, "Hannah's got the Portkey set up just a block away." he explained.

"Would have been here sooner," George said with a yawn, "Just had a bit of a slow start."

"Understandable." Neville smiled, "Hey kids." Ricky wanted to hide in Victoire's shoulder as Neville waved hello to them.

"Hello, Professor." They answered in unison.

The years had been kind to Neville, even though during the summer months he was sporting a bit of a stubble, he hadn't changed much according to Ricky's mother. He was still a little goofy, but seemed to have much more confidence than how Neville portrayed himself in the stories he told his students.

Ricky stood back by his friends as they waited for Hannah-Neville's wife-to come back saying if the coast was relatively clear. To be honest, Ricky occasionally sneaked out to the muggle world on the other side of the Leaky Cauldron. He never took his wand, he didn't play with his weather magic-if his parents even knew he had it Ricky thought they'd ground him for life-he would simply stroll up and down the block, looking at the muggles.

"Ricky?" He looked at Allie who was waiting by the door with Neville, the inn was empty, "You coming?" Allie asked tentatively.

"Yeah." Ricky hurried to the door and walked out with Allie as Neville closed the door behind him.

"What's traveling by Portkey like?" Ricky could hear his sister inquire to their father.

"Shh, no speaking like that out here." George whispered to her.

"Daddy, I'm tired." Mikey tugged at their fathers sweater, it was one of the few times Ricky had actually seen his father wear something other than his work suit.

"How much longer, Uncle George?" Dominique piped up.

"Not much." George said, "Hannah, you said it was just at the block?"

"Yes, see?" Hannah pointed to something Ricky couldn't see over the crowd of Weasley's. as the troop clambered to grab hold of the soggy packaging box, Ricky glanced around at those Muggles who were out at this time of morning.

"Ricky." George caught his attention. Ricky quickly grabbed the box, he was squished between Neo and Allie, it felt as though a hook had snagged him by his navel and yanked him towards the box only to push him backwards just as quickly. Suddenly he was face first in the sand, "You need to work on paying attention, son." George said, Ricky glared up through his sandy bangs as he took his fathers hand and stood up.

Dominique was already helping Allie up, Ricky frowned and pulled Cli to his feet, "How'd you get stuck under Neo?"

"He landed like that on purpose." Cli glared at his brother who was already catching up to Victoire.

"Come on," Neville nodded over a sandbank. The troop struggled through the sand, but once they were over the bank they stopped in awe.

"That's a lot of people." Allie breathed. "A lot" was an understatement, there seemed to be thousands upon thousands of wizards gathered in the desert. Ricky struggled to keep with the group as they weaved through the crowd. Eventually, Ricky saw George pluck Mikey up and plop him on his shoulders.

Ricky nearly ran into Neville as the group came to a stop, "What's going on?" he asked.

"Your dad is verifying that we belong here." Neville explained. Ricky raised an eyebrow, "We're going to be in the VIP area." Neville explained, suddenly the group was moving again.

"Mummy!" Mikey pointed ahead, Ricky tried to peek through the crowd at his mother. Hair braided and pinned to the base of her skull, Phoenix Weasley's only sign of age was a little extra weight on her frail body, and the laugh lines on her face she got from being married to a world renown prankster. Phoenix looked away from the conversation she and Ginny were having and smiled. Ricky saw George put Mikey down and was sure he and Minnie were running to their mother to explain their trip with the Portkey. As most of the group dispersed Ricky caught his parents snogging.

"Glad you made it in reasonable time." Phoenix grinned pulling down from her lanky, tall husband.

"Yeah well, your son," he emphasized, motioning to Ricky, "Wanted to sleep in."

"Hey," he snapped as he passed them to follow his friends and cousins, "Minnie and the girls slept in more than I did." He left his parents to their business, pulling his younger siblings after him so they wouldn't bother them.

* * *

"This is so exciting!" Albus screamed excitedly over the roar of the crowd. He was sporting Brazilian green while his father, older brother, and little sister wore Bulgarian red.

"Oh!" Luna exclaimed, "Would anyone like a snack?" She asked. Ricky knew from experience not to accept a snack unless her husband, Rolf, took one as well.

"Look!" George pointed to the field, Ricky jumped to see what he was pointing at. Was he ever happy he did, stunning creatures he knew to be veela were dancing to haunting harp music. He knew he shouldn't have stared, Dominique and Allie hated them, but he couldn't see why. Suddenly, there was an elbow in his gut, Ricky came to as the veela stopped their dancing, he looked at his attacker. Allie had her arms crossed and was glaring down at the field, Ricky frowned.

"Dad! Dad! Look!" James pointed. Red-haired, backwards footed, Curupiras were climbing the stadium walls, none reached in to grab at the spectators but they did make great fun of them, "Will they come up here?" Ricky heard James ask.

"Of course they won't." Lucy said, Molly whacked the back of her head, "Hey!"

"Mikey, be careful." Ricky glanced down the row to see his mother pulling Mikey off the railings.

"I want to climb like that one day!" Mikey cheered up at her.

"Buenos Noches! And Good Evening!" A heavily accented Spanish voice boomed through the stadium, Ricky listened as everyone grew silent, "As president of the council of magic," the voice continued. Ricky pictured a big bellied man with a thick, bushy mustache, "I would like to welcome all to the 427th Quidditch World Cup!" There were a few solitary screams of excitement, one of them being from Neville. Ricky glanced down at the reporters enclosure, Rita Skeeter-someone he'd heard about from his parents complaints when reading the paper-sat rigidly staring up at their VIP box.

Ricky frowned again, before he could lean around to ask his Uncle Percy why she was here, a whistle was blown and the match began. Neville gave out another loud cheer as the players rose into the air. Ricky watched as the Brazilian team held on tight to the Quaffle.

"No way Draganov and Vulchanov will let them get pass." Neo said to his brother, sporting red and black in support of Bulgaria.

"You have to admit Flores, Diaz and Alonso are trying their best to." Cli argued, dressed in green in support of Brazil.

"But they won't." Neo argued.

"Treat for you, dear?" Luna asked from behind him. Ricky leaned back, Rolf had a snack and had actually taken a bite out of it. Ricky smiled and took a snack with a nodded thanks, he leaned back forward to see a Bludger hit a Bulgarian in the throat. He heard most of the crowd groan in sympathy. In the moment of intense pain for the Bulgarians, their player dropped the Quaffle which was now in Brazilian possession.

Ricky couldn't remember half of the people playing, his own favorite team wasn't even in the running this tournament. George and Ricky had sulked for a few days when they learned Ireland had been bested by Haiti in the qualifying stages.

Brazil was the first to score thirty-seven minutes into the game, "Whoa! Whoa!" Ricky leaned over and caught Albus who was cheering so enthusiastically for Brazil that he nearly toppled out of the VIP box, "Settle down there, champ." He set his younger cousin on his feet. Albus just grinned and took a snack as Luna passed him.

The Bulgarian Beaters kept intercepting the Brazilian Chasers as they tried to get in formation, "Relying too much on defense." Cli taunted.

"I'm going to chuck you onto the field." Neo growled.

Ricky looked around the stadium for the snitch, he could see Harry doing the same a few seats down. However, no such luck, he couldn't see a thing in the sky. He watched the Seekers fly around contently at the rim of the stadium, scanning for the snitch.

Nearly an hour into the game, Bulgaria scored a goal and caught up with Brazil, but thirty minutes later the Brazilian Chasers seemed to explode with determination and scored three more times.

"Forty to ten." Cli reminded his brother.

"Ricky, tell me if your Uncle is looking away," Neo growled, "I don't want to be sent to Azkaban for "accidentally" shoving my brother to the pitch below.

Twenty minutes later, the score was fifty to twenty, Allie was yawning at the lack of seeing the snitch. Which when she complained, made Cli and Neo burst into the history of longest Quidditch tournaments due to the snitch not showing up.

"Look!" George pointed out the seekers to Minnie and Mikey, Viktor Krum-the only player Ricky really knew because of his Uncle-and the Brazil Seeker were suddenly at a breakneck race around the stadium.

Two hours into the game and Ricky winced and called foul as a Brazil Beater hit Krum over the head, the game was paused to asses if it was foul play. "He clearly did it!" Neo yelled along with other Bulgarian supporters, "Give them a penalty throw!" But the ref signaled it was not a foul, and Krum gave a thumbs up as the game resumed.

A mere thirty minutes later and both seekers were once again in a breakneck race, flying up at a near vertical angle. Ricky gripped the railing and craned his neck to watch as they disappeared into the Argentinean sun. Suddenly one broke from the blazing light holding up the snitch.

"It's Krum!" An announcer voice boomed through the stadium, "Viktor Krum's got the snitch! It's over! Bulgaria has won!"

* * *

**Welcome to the "Phoenix Malfoy" sequel! If you haven't read "Phoenix Malfoy" I suggest you do to get caught up, (you may have to grit your teeth to get through years 1-3 but after that it's worth it I promise)**

**This chapter is set before 19 years later at the 2014 Quidditch World Cup which happened just last month, next chapter will be 19 years later, and then we'll get started.**

**Disclaimer from the first fic still stands: I only own my OC's.**


	2. 19 years later

19 years later

"Where are they?" Ricky peered over his classmates on Platform nine and three-quarters.

"Where are who?" His mother asked. Phoenix Weasley, once famous for being The Lost Malfoy and the second recorded person to survive the Killing Curse, was now famous for being the wife of George Weasley. After the death of an Uncle Fred they never knew, George and Phoenix worked the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes company, spreading it around the globe. Of course, since his youth, his mother has worked at Hogwarts as the Transfiguration teacher, a blessing and a curse.

"My friends." Ricky answered absentmindedly.

"You promised you'd sit with the family this year." Phoenix reminded him. Ricky wasn't paying attention, he greeted his fellow Quidditch team members as they loaded onto the train. "Oh, where is Harry?" Phoenix questioned, "George? Do you see them?" George Weasley, missing an ear, but never better, looked over the crowd.

"I think I see James coming in from the portal." George answered her, "Yes, I'd recognize that mop of hair anywhere."

The group of five quickly weaved through the crowd. As they came out to an empty spot by the engine of the Hogwarts Express, they saw Harry Potter, aged nicely but with a few grey hairs. He was assisting his youngest son, Albus through the portal. Ginny and Lily came not too long after.

"Hi, Scorp." Ricky heard his little sister, Minnie, call to their cousin. Glancing back he saw their Malfoy cousin, Scorpius Malfoy, hugging his mother goodbye. Ricky stood to the side as his younger sister and cousins expressed their worry an excitement, peering over his uncle Ron's shoulder, he noticed his Uncle Harry had stopped to talk to Albus.

The train whistle blew, "Alright!" Ricky called to his cousins, "Let's go!" He paused when he felt a small tug at his jacket, looking back he saw his youngest sibling, Mikey Weasley. "James," He called to his cousin, "Take the others to a compartment, try to find Vi." James nodded and pulled at his little brother, who in turn pulled at Rose, who in turn pulled at Minnie, who pulled at Dominique, who pulled at Louis, and the troop marched onto the train gathering many stares and whispers. Ricky kneeled beside his brother, "What's up, champ?" he asked.

"When will I get to go to Hogwarts?" he asked sadly, "It seems like you've been there forever." Mikey frowned.

"Ricky, the train's getting ready to leave." Phoenix called.

"Next year," Ricky hugged his brother tightly, "I promise. You'll come in with Hugo and Lily," he promised, "Take care of mum and dad." With that, Ricky took off at a run after the train, his long legs carried him as jumped on the train. He turned back and waved out the side at his family retreating into specks on the platform as the train rounded the first bend in their journey.

Ricky lowered his hand and set off to find his cousins, all eleven of them in a compartment would be a tight fit. Even though he promised to sit with his frightened sister, he didn't think he could. Thankfully, when he got to the compartment filled with Whizbangs and exploding snap, he found several family members missing.

Those that were there included Dominique, James, Minnie, Louis, Albus, Rose, and Scorpius. Ricky winced and felt bad for Scorpius, only Minnie was being nice to him, the others ignored his existence. Ricky knocked on the door, "Everything okay?" he asked, not wanting to stay too long.

"Yes." Dominique stood up quickly, wanting to leave as well.

"Wait!" Louis cried out, "Aren't you supposed to stay with us?" he asked.

"Do you really need me to?" Ricky asked, "You've got James."

"Don't leave me with babysitting." James groaned.

"I'm gunna go say "hi" to the team," Dominique whispered and she slipped out past Ricky. Now left with the four first years and one third year, Ricky sighed.

"Can't you stay for an hour or so?" Minnie pleaded.

Ricky shuffled into the compartment and sat down, "Fine." he said, "But only an hour."

"Mum wanted me to remind you all that Hagrid invited us to tea this Friday." Albus mentioned.

Ricky sighed inwardly, Ricky, Dominique, James and Lucy were the only ones to visit Hagrid, but now that the first years were here, perhaps they could get out of visiting Hagrid so much and focus more on Quidditch Practice. Ricky ran a thumb over the Captain's badge in his pocket, he played as Keeper and had a near perfect record for blocking goals. Only when the other team played dirty did he miss, "Or that one year," Ricky thought, thinking back to the previous year. He shook his head, fourth year was not his best year.

"So," Minnie bounced excitedly, "Mum was telling me about a secret announcement this morning." Ricky looked at her curiously.

"Did she give any details on it?" Scorpius asked.

Minnie shrugged, "All she said was that the school was going to be very crowded this year." she gave a Malfoy smirk, something definitely inherited from being "Grandfather's little girl".

"You don't think they'd bring the Triwizard Tournament back to Hogwarts do you?" Rose asked.

"Of course they wouldn't." Louis said as though it were obvious, "It was held at Hogwarts last time."

"Well I was just saying." Rose huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well you can just say all you want," James rolled his eyes, "I'm surprised," the first years looked at him curiously, Ricky shot him a warning glare, "Usually first years talk about what House they're going to be in."

"Right," Louis rolled his eyes, "Does it matter since we're all going to remain family anyways?" Scorpius shifted awkwardly on the seat.

"I for one," Rose spoke up, "Hope I'm not in Hufflepuff."

"What's wrong with Hufflepuff?" Ricky asked, "Aunt Audrey was a Hufflepuff, so was professor Longbottom's wife." he reminded.

Rose's cheeks turned red, "W-well,"

"It's the saddest excuse for "we don't know what to do with you" ever." Scorpius spoke up in a low voice.

"Well," Minnie squirmed, "Mum knew a Hufflepuff, said he was brave and kind…" Ricky frowned, their mother seldom mentioned her youth to them, what they did know they learned from their father or uncles and aunts, or from old newspaper clippings in their grandparents home.

"Still," Scorpius crossed his arms, "Waste of-"

"At least none of us will be in Slytherin," Louis pulled a disgusted face, "That's where all the bullies go." Scorpius's face twisted up and Ricky was reminded of the face Uncle Draco made when he smelled something foul. Ricky gave James a look, blaming him for planting the seed of hatred for other houses in their heads.

"Well," Rose spoke up, "Dad said I better be in Gryffindor or else."

"Rose," Ricky sighed, "You can be in any house you want. You know your dad wouldn't actually do anything." After the hour was up, Ricky left James in charge, "If I hear from any of them that you were planting more seeds of House discrimination in their heads, I'll be using that Beaters bat of yours for more than just practice drills." he whispered to the third year before he left. Ricky quickly walked the length of the train looking for his misfit gang of friends.

"Look, Brand." Ricky winced hurrying after his friends voice, "For the last time, we don't know where Ricky is!" Ricky squeezed by the Sweets Trolley lady. Sure enough Natalia Brand-the reason Ricky's last year was awful-stood by the compartment his friends were in. Allie was standing in the doorway blocking Natalia from barging in. "Ricky." Allie's blue-green eyes widened his shock. Natalia turned back in surprise, but smiled kindly when she saw him.

Ricky didn't return the smile, he peeked in around Natalia and Allie, "Hey guys." he nodded to Neo and Cli who nodded in return.

"Ricky," Natalia turned and blocked him from slipping in around Allie, "Can we talk?" she asked.

"Maybe some other time, I'm not in the mood to talk." Ricky pushed pass Natalia and Allie, plopping down on the empty seat across from Neo and Cli. He lifted his head as Allie sat down next to him. When he looked out to the hallway, Natalia was gone.

"What was that for?" Allie asked, looking down at Ricky as he laid his head on her lap, "And where have you been?"

"I just don't want to talk to her." Ricky sighed, "And I was with my sister and cousins."

"I thought you were obsessed with Natalia?" Cli asked.

"Yeah," Neo growled, "He was, it's why we didn't win any Quidditch games against Ravenclaw last year."

"Mum said the castle was going to be crowded this year." Ricky changed the subject, he got a flick from Allie for doing so.

"Wonder what that means." Neo chewed on his lip.

"Do you ever listen to dad?" Cli sighed, Neo blinked at him confused, "Other schools are coming to Hogwarts in a sort of school fair." The other three said nothing, "According to Dad, it's been a lot of trouble getting parents to allow their kids to stay at Hogwarts."

"Why has it been trouble?" Allie asked.

"Apparently some schools you go to daily," Cli explained, "They don't sleep in the castle, they just go there in the morning, and leave in the afternoon."

"Sounds like a waste of travel time." Neo scoffed, Cli only shrugged.

"Anyways, we're supposed to be learning from other professors this year, see what their curriculum is like." Cli explained.

"Sounds boring." Allie huffed and crossed her arms.

"Well there's a Christmas Fair, Spring Fair, and End of the Year Fair." Cli explained.

"Fairs all around, watch them be educational." Neo scoffed.

"Well, I know Dad said something about importing creatures." Cli tried to defend the schools, "And mum said something about dress robes."

"Dress robes?" Allie demanded, "No, that's sickening."

Neo cooed, "Allie has to wear a dress." he taunted.

"If you keep it up, you will too." Allie huffed. Ricky and Cli laughed, Neo just rolled his eyes and leaned back in the seat. The rest of the train ride was spent playing exploding snap, and discussing what classes they were taking.

"I hope Professor Alhaster's class is better than last year. Learning about unforgivable curses was the worst." Neo stretched as the sun began to set.

"I thought it was fun." Allie grinned, "I can't believe the headmistress was okay with us learning dark spells."

"Well we've got to be prepared, don't we?" Cli asked.

"For what?" Ricky inquired, "It's not like we're going to be attacked." The trip to Hogwarts always seemed to pass fast once the sun dipped beyond the horizon. Dressing in their school robes, the four stepped off the train onto the platform.

"First years, this way!" He could hear Hagrid call, after all these years, all Hagrid had to show was a few lighter strands of hair on his head and beard. Ricky glanced through the crowd and saw his sister and cousins obediently following Hagrid.

"Come on, Ricky, we don't want to be on the last carriage." Neo tugged at his sleeve. Ricky obediently followed and jumped into the carriage.

* * *

"How do you think the sorting will go?" Lucy asked, crossing her arms on the table and resting her chin on her arms.

"Easy breezey." Dominique waved it off.

"I hope so," James held his stomach, "I'm starving."

"You're always starving." Neo sighed, his head on the table. "All of you, it must be a Weasley thing." He grumbled, "Eat and eat and never gain weight or get stuffed."

"Something we all inherited from Uncle Ron." Ricky grinned at his starving friend who punched his arm. Suddenly the Great Hall doors opened, turning back, Ricky watched his mother escort the first years down to the front. Ricky remembered his sorting, how his mother had been the one to set the hat on his head. How she smiled proudly at him when Gryffindor was called. Tonight, she looked pale and frightened, Ricky frowned as his cousins and friend whispered his own thoughts.

"Just spread around up front," Phoenix instructed, she kept her hands in her work robes as she swept her arms out as an example. Ricky saw his sister and cousins stumbling with the other first years and smiled fondly, remembering him and his friends during their sorting. "Now," Phoenix stood by the stool with the ratty old sorting hat sitting atop it. "When I call your name, you will come up and you will be sorted." Phoenix pulled a scroll out of her robes, "Suzanne Abbot." a little girl with blonde hair nervously shuffled to the stool, Phoenix lifted the hat and held it over the little girls head.

"Hufflepuff!" The black and gold table cheered as the girl walked over.

"Alan Carter." Ricky spaced out, looking across the hall he spotted Allie. She was talking to one of her Slytherin friends, the other girl looked over and Allie pulled her back to the conversation they were having.

"Ravenclaw!" Ricky could barely see though the Ravenclaws that cheered, but he was sure Allie and the other girl was giggling. What were they talking about?

"Bernard Clause." Ricky continued to scan the Great Hall, Cli was welcoming the new first year to his table. His sister was clutching Rose's hand, both girls looked terrified, but Rose seemed more determined than ever to get to the stool.

"Slytherin!" Ricky watched Allie clap as the young black haired boy walked to the black and green table.

"William Earbert." Ricky watched his mothers fingers tremble, something was scaring her.

"What do you reckon it is?" Neo whispered.

"What?" Ricky whispered back.

"Ravenclaw!"

"That's got Professor Weasley all scared." Neo whispered.

"Daniel Hanson."

"No idea." Ricky frowned, he wish he did know. His mother shivered from fear, in all his years at a sorting ceremony, she'd never appeared this nervous. Glancing around the Great Hall, Ricky caught sight of Allie giggling at something her friend said, the corners of his lips twitched up, the room seemed to grow warming.

"Slytherin!"

Ricky noticed the temperature change, but remained immune to it as students began to fan themselves. Phoenix, however, seemed impervious to the temperature change. Ricky frowned.

Two more kids were sorted, both in Gryffindor, and then Phoenix called, "Scorpius Malfoy."

She smiled kindly to Scorpius as he tried to hold his head high walking up to the stool. Phoenix could barely lower the hat to his head when the hat cried out, "Slytherin!" Phoenix smiled and motioned for Scorpius to join the cheering table.

Another girl was sorted into Hufflepuff, a set of twins were separated into Slytherin and Ravenclaw, "Bird Orphie," Phoenix called. Ricky perked up as no one came to the stool. Then there was the clacking of something whacking stone and a girl carrying a red and white cane stumbled up and ran into Phoenix. Phoenix shot the Hall a glare as a round of giggles went out. Phoenix helped the blushing dark skinned girl onto the stool where the hat was slipped on her head.

"Hufflepuff, for sure." James yawned.

"Gryffindor!" Ricky cheered loudly as the girl was guided by an aged Mr. Filch to the cheering table.

He caught his mother giving him a pleased smile as she called, "Albus Potter." As she did with Scorpius, she gave Albus a reassuring smile. James cheered the loudest when the sorting hat called out Gryffindor, he looked so proud and ready to burst with happiness as Albus joined them at the table.

One girl was sorted into Ravenclaw, and another in Slytherin, "Louis Weasley." the silver-blonde head of Louis separated himself from Rose and Minnie, he beamed up nervously at Phoenix. Ricky glanced at Victoire, and Dominique. Victoire was seated beside Cli and looked more scared than when Ricky had been hit with a bludger his second year. Dominique was watching her little brother with unblinking eyes, her fist resting on her lap and turning white.

"Slytherin!" Louis frowned but obediently joined the table. Ricky glanced at Allie who quickly hugged Louis and said something to him that made him smile.

"Minerva Weasley." Phoenix said professionally, Ricky watched as Minnie stumbled up the stairs. She shook as the hat slipped over her eyes, Ricky chewed on his lip anxiously. Minnie was smart enough she could be in Ravenclaw, but she was very joking and cunning.

"Slytherin!" Minnie looked like she was going to have a panic attack as Phoenix slowly patted her back and got her off the stool. Minnie immediately sat by Allie who hugged her. Allie glanced over at Ricky.

"Rose Weasley."

"Thank you." He mouthed to Allie.

"No problem." She mouthed back, smiling.

"Ravenclaw!"

The last two students were sorted, one in Hufflepuff one in Gryffindor, and Headmistress McGonagall stood up. Though years had passed since Phoenix and George once walked the halls as students, Ricky had seen her nearly every year for as long as he could remember. "Good evening, students." McGonagall said calmly, everyone settled down, anticipating the feast that would soon be underway, "As a reminder to those returning, and a warning to those new: Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds. Secondly, Hogwarts will not only house you this year." The Great Hall went up in whispers, Ricky could hear his cousins excitedly whispering to each other. He looked at the staff table, his mother sat beside Hagrid looking frightened to death, Hagrid was whispering something to her. "In order to strengthen ties in the magical world, four schools will come together at Hogwarts for a festival known as "Worldly School Fair"." Ricky glanced at Cli who looked proud of himself and was saying something to Victoire.

"Now," McGonagall said, the whispers died down, Ricky looked back up at the old witch, "In this fair, you will be taught by professors from the other schools. You are expected to behave as though they were your home professors. Now, I am pleased to announce," McGonagall threw her arm out towards the Great Hall doors which swung open, "The students from Mexico's School of Magic, and their headmaster Ricardo Rivera!"

Ricky looked back as a group of students walked in lead by their headmaster. Rivera looked comical with his long, curly, black moustache that dropped to his ankles and swayed around with his gold and white robes. His dark eyes looked young and overjoyed to be at Hogwarts as he swept up to the podium and gave a shocked McGonagall a hug.

"Gracias," He laughed, "Thank you for having us."

"Yes, well." Several students laughed as McGonagall steadied her flustered self, she waved them to the empty part of the Hufflepuff table. "Thank you." She mumbled, standing upright she waved to the Great Hall doors again, "And now, the East Coast Witchcraft and Wizardry Academy, and their Principal George Smith!"

Looking back, Ricky watched a bald man with sharp, blue-green eyes, pushed past Mr. Filch and marched down the hallway, the students following him all wore school robes of red, white and blue, including the Principal. However, they did not have long robes that Hogwarts had. Instead, the boys wore black suits with a red, white, or blue tie, and shining black shoes. The girls, however, wore red, white, or blue blouses, black skirts and black slip-ons. Principal Smith stood before McGonagall's podium, he gave a strange sort of salute then stood at attention. McGonagall only smiled at him politely and she waved him to the empty part of the Ravenclaw table.

"The Outback School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and their Headmistress Eileen Caston!"

A dark, curly haired witch trotted in, her pink and blue robes swishing about her as her students in white and black hurried to keep up. Caston hugged McGonagall and was motioned to sit at the Slytherin table. However, there were two squeals from a girl at Outback School and East Coast school, a girl in black and a girl in red ran across the hall to hug each other tightly.

"Smith!" The Headmaster of East Coast snapped, "Back to your position." The girl in red from East Coast school blushed furiously as she noticed all the eyes on her. She and the girl from Outback school shared something of a whisper at the front of the Hall, then they darted back to their respective schools. Ricky looked at his mother curiously, who looked just as confused as she did.

"And finally!" McGonagall swept her arms out as if to embrace a being, "The Mediterranean school of Magic, and their Headmaster Dimitri Vargas!"

"Better be finally," Neo groaned, "I'm starving."

Ricky watched as an old man with shaggy grey hair cautiously walked down the aisle, his hair and beard nearly overtook the whole front of his body, only a nose and tiny mouth were seen. His blue and gold robes seemed to shine as he shimmered past them, his students following. Ricky watched a girl in turquoise and gold-the schools colors he guessed-pass by him. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there. Her chocolate eyes glared at everyone as she passed them, she even scoffed and flipped her soft, curly black hair over her shoulder, it just barely brushing his forehead.

Ricky glanced at the table, his mother looked around fearfully as if expecting someone else to show up, but no one did. Mr. Filch closed the doors as the Mediterranean students sat at the end of the Gryffindor table.

"Now that we're all settled in, let the feast begin."

"Finally!"

* * *

"I can't believe Minnie and Louis got in Slytherin." Albus frowned that night, "And Rose got Ravenclaw." He looked up at James and Ricky, "Does that mean we won't be friends anymore?"

"Of course not." Dominique spoke up from polishing her Cumulo 2. "Victoire is in Ravenclaw, and I'm in Gryffindor, but that doesn't mean we're not sisters. Just because our brother is in Slytherin doesn't mean he isn't our brother."

"What about Minnie? She didn't want to be in Slytherin, did you see how shocked she looked?" Albus asked.

"Al," Ricky ruffled his messy black hair, "She'll be fine. Besides, I'm friends with a Slytherin, you remember Allie?"

"Allie's muggle born that's a difference." Albus protested.

"She's a great witch." Ricky argued.

"And what about Molly and Lucy?" Dominique asked.

"Don't drag me into this." Lucy called from across the common room.

"Molly's in Ravenclaw, and Lucy's here with us." Dominique ignored her.

"Yeah but how often does Molly even associate with us?" Albus asked, "When we're at school it's like she's not even a Weasley."

"Are you're not, you're a Potter." James reminded, "Look, Al, everything'll be fine, just relax." Ricky laughed with the others but as he went to bed, he couldn't help but worry about his sister who was probably down in the Slytherin common room scared out of her mind. She had wanted so desperately to be in Gryffindor like their parents and their fathers family before them, but she'd taken after their mothers family and ended up in Slytherin. He tossed and turned that night with worry, and had to drag himself out of bed and to the Great Hall the following morning.

"Good Morning, Mister Weasley." McGonagall tapped a scroll on his shoulder, Ricky lazily lifted his head and retrieved the scroll from her, "Sleep well?" she frowned.

"Not at all, Headmistress." Ricky yawned, "But I'm fine."

"If you need, I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will be glad to give you a pepper up potion." McGonagall looked at him concerned, Ricky glanced at the Great Hall doors and noticed his rambunctious family coming in.

"No, thank you, ma'am." Ricky declined politely, she nodded and turned to scold his family for being so loud. Undoing the scroll he'd taken, Ricky absentmindedly munched on his toast.

"So, what's your schedule say?" Neo slid into Ricky as he sat on the bench.

"I've got Defense Against the Dark Arts training with a professor Smith, says they're from the East Coast School." Ricky read, "We'll be having it with some East Coast kids and some Slytherins."

"Every Yankee seems to be "Smith"." Neo yawned, "I've got that class too."

Ricky didn't say, "Transfiguration with mum, some East Coast, and Mediterranean students.

"Same." Neo picked up Ricky's uneaten toast and munched on it.

"Potions with a professor Stacey from Outback, with Mexico and Ravenclaw." Ricky read.

"Yup." Neo took a drink from his own goblet.

"Lunch." Ricky bit into his toast, "Something called "Endurance Class" from the Mexico school with the Mediterranean students and the Outback students." Neo nodded his mouth full of bacon, "Care of Magical Creatures from the Mediterranean school, with Slytherins and Mediterranean students. And something called "Health" from Mediterranean with Mexico and Outback."

"This year is gunna be long." Neo groaned.

"No kidding." Ricky frowned, he'd been expecting a break in his schedule this year, however with the World School Fair going on, he expected they wanted to fill every students schedule. Glancing at the Ravenclaw table he noticed a frown on Victoire's glossed lips. "Yup," Ricky sighed, "Full for everyone."

"Well, where is first class?" Neo asked, standing up.

"No idea," Ricky followed, he felt as helpless as a first year, glancing back he saw his sister being helped by two Slytherin boys, he couldn't remember their names. Looking at the scroll in his hands he scanned the lines, "It says out by their car?" the two walked out of the Great Hall.

"Hey guys." Allie trotted up, "You got Defense with East Coast?" she asked.

"Yeah," Neo nodded, "You know where it is?"

"Yeah. I saw them park yesterday while we were walking from the carriage." Allie instructed them to follow her. Following Allie, the three made it to the grounds around the bend from Hagrid's hut close to the edge of the Black Lake. Several cars were parked in a circle, a large tent like structure raising from the inside of the circle. A door hanging from the tent was the only visible way in or out. Several students were already there waiting, among them was the blonde haired girl from the welcoming feast that hugged the Outback girl in the middle of the welcoming ceremony.

"I'm gunna say "hi" to her." Ricky whispered to Neo and Allie.

"Why?" Allie grabbed his wrist.

"Just to be nice." Ricky shrugged, Neo pulled Allie's hand off his wrist and Ricky weaved between the crowds over to the blonde haired girl. "Hi." he greeted gently, "My name's Ricky." he stuck out his hand.

The girl looked up at him shyly, but smiled and grasped his hand, "Hi, I'm Anna." Ricky dropped her hand and smiled.

"So, do you know this professor well?" he asked.

"Do I ever." Anna sighed and smiled gently, "The teacher's my mom." her accent was oddly bright and numb, as if she had a stuffed nose. Slightly annoying, but very kind. "It sucks having a parent as a teacher."

"I know how you feel." Ricky admitted.

The girl seemed to perk up, "You do?" she asked.

"Yeah, my mum's the Transfiguration teacher here." Ricky admitted.

"I have transfiguration next," Anna beamed, "Is she nice?"

Ricky tossed his head back and forth, debating, "Fairly." he grinned, Anna laughed and the tent door opened.

"Welcome," a red haired, green eyed woman in purple robes smiled warmly, "Come on in, sit down, make yourselves at home." Walking into the tent, Allie pulled Ricky across the room away from the East Coast kids. "I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year, some of you know me," She looked at her East Coast kids, "And some of you don't." She looked at the Gryffindors and Slytherins. The round tent was much bigger on the inside, farthest from the door was a chalkboard on wheels, in front of that was a desk. Instead of grassy ground like Ricky expected, there was actually tile lined between the billowing tent walls. Instead of doubled desks there were several individual desks grouped in fours, however they were circled around the edge of the room, in the middle was a pile of cushions that the professor then went and laid on one.

"So, for our icebreaker this year, I'd like to throw this ball." she said sitting up and producing a ball from her slimming robes, "If you catch it, you say your name, something about yourself you don't think anyone else knows, and throw it, once you do that you sit down." Several East Coast kids looked excited at this, but Ricky glanced at the Hogwarts students and found that most were just as confused as he was. Most students were on the cushions in the middle, but a few were scattered along the walls. "I'm going to go first." Ricky could see where the slightly bright and numb voice Anna had came from. "My name is Mrs. Smith, and I am actually a natural bright red-head." She motioned to her fiery red hair that should not have been a natural hair color. She tossed the ball up in the air, several East Coast students ran to it, but a dark skinned boy with buck teeth caught it.

"My names Mace, and I have to wear fake teeth."

"Must be muggleborn." Neo whispered and he and Ricky held back gags and laughter as Mace showed off his fake buck teeth.

The ball was tossed and students introduced, the East Coast kids kept to passing the ball to each other, and then Anna caught it. "My name is Anna, and I self taught myself to not speak in a lisp." Anna grinned at Ricky and tossed the large, inflated ball to him.

"Uhm," Ricky twirled the ball in his hands, "My name is Ricky, and," He chewed on his bottom lip, Professor Smith was looking at him interestingly as he tried to think of something special about him. "Aside from my Weather Powers, god if mum and dad ever found out they'd lock me up forever." Ricky thought, "I am interested in magical law." He noticed Allie and Neo look at him surprised, he quickly passed the ball to Neo and sat down.

Once the ball got back to Professor Smith, she stood up, "Now that we all know each other, let's get down to the curriculum this year. This year, will be teaching you advanced versions of the spells you should have learned in your previous years, I am also going to be teaching you what to do incase you are attacked."

"Theoretical crap," Allie mumbled, "Apparently the states are too scared to actually show the truth."

"I'd like you to pair up with someone not from your school, and we're going to practice the hydro-kinetic spell." Anna immediately paired up with Ricky, grabbing hold of his arm, "Repeat after me, no wands, Hancenmotu hydro."

"Hancenmotu hydro." Ricky repeated with the others.

"Good," Professor Smith waved her wand, several tubs of water appeared between the pairs of students, "Now in order to perform this spell, you must point your wand at the water." She pointed her wand at the tub before her and the water lifted in a spiral, following her wand, "Today we'll just practice by flicking water at each other," she returned the wand to her side, the tie between her wand and the water severing and the water crashed on her feet, drenching the bottom half of the front of her robes. "Once we improve, we'll have a little fun."

"My mom," Anna sighed as she let them go about practicing, "She's something, huh?"

"Just trying to make it fun, I suppose." Ricky said, focusing on the tub of water.

"Hancenmotu hydro." Anna pointed her wand at the tub, a small blob of water struggled to rise.

"So, I have a question," Ricky posed carefully, Anna glanced up at him, the water nearly dropping back completely, "What was up with you and the girl in the Great Hall?" he asked.

Ana frowned and nodded understanding, "That girl is my twin, believe it or not."

"I don't." Ricky admitted, "Hancenmotu hydro." the water began to shiver and rise, but it barely moved a foot above the tub before it quivered and remained in place, no matter how hard he tried to raise it.

"My parents," Anna explained, making a blob of water jump up and down from the tub, trying to get it to separate from its water cord connecting it to the water in the tub, "Had different ideas on how to raise me and my sister…My dad wanted to go to Australia, live out his dream as trying to pass as a muggle archeologist." Anna sighed, "My mom, on the other hand, wanted to stay closer to family and have me and my sister go to the school our whole families gone to." Ricky said nothing as Anna told her tale, he lowered his wand, letting the water drop, "Well…My parents aren't exactly split…they just don't talk to each other or see each other…or…acknowledges the other exists anymore…" Anna sighed sadly, "They're still married, and I don't know why." Anna sighed exasperatedly, looking at her mother who was helping a student who couldn't even create a ripple, "But," Anna went back to focusing on her water blob, "Every summer mum and dad send me and my sister to Hawaii for two weeks with as much money as they can possibly send with us…and we just visit and catch up…and I didn't even know she was going to be here…My mom and dad are here, this is the closest we've all been since ever." Anna sounded excited and terrified at the same time, "I don't know why…but I want mom and dad to finally get together…I just want a family…a normal family." Anna sighed, the water crashed down on her feet, but Ricky wasn't sure she noticed as she was now crying.

"Hey," Ricky stepped around the tub of water, "It's okay, I can't promise anything, we've just met." Anna laughed, "But, don't cry." he used his sleeves to dry his tears. He sighed, not having advice for someone made him sick to his stomach, "Come on, you've got to be happy when you go to my mum's class, it's only fair." Anna gave another sad laugh and nodded.

* * *

**SO!**

**Second chapter! New drama is stirring at Hogwarts!~ It's so exciting.**

**I know McGonagall should be retired by this time, however I love her character so much I had to keep her, eventually she'll retire but it'll probably be after the youngest Weasley leaves Hogwarts, I dunno. S****ince this is all non-canon (sorta) It'll take longer for me to update (not because it'll be harder but because I'll simply have no motivation to-sorry haha) so just bear with me guys.**

**The next chapter probably won't be out for a week or so because I'm leaving for vacation soon, it's like...a 5-7 day vacation and school will start up not long after that so updates will slow but I will not disappear for months on end like I did for Phoenix Malfoy, I promise!**

**ALSO!**

**I am on Pottormore now! I'm in the Slytherin house and my name is StoneSeer11476 (I don't know why I'm telling you all, but pretty much since the very first start of Phoenix Malfoy I wanted a Pottermore account, I just never got around to getting one, well now I have one and I'm so excited)**


	3. World Fair

"That was by far the strangest lesson ever." Neo chimed as he and Allie caught up with Ricky and Anna.

"Yeah," Anna peeked around Ricky to look at Neo, "My mom's a bit…eccentric."

"That was your mom?" Neo asked.

"Yeah." Anna nodded.

"Funny," Neo nudged Ricky out of his thoughts, "Ricky's mum teaches here."

"I told her." Ricky mumbled absentmindedly.

"Hi, I'm Anna." The American introduced herself to Neo and Allie. Neo smiled and waved back, and Allie just glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. Ricky frowned, Allie had been standoffish and cold the past year, he wanted his friend back.

"Bye." Allie snapped at the three, before she went towards the Potions classroom.

"Did I say something wrong?" Anna asked.

"Nah, she's a Slytherin." Neo shrugged it off. Anna raised an eyebrow, "What?" Neo asked, "Doesn't your school have different houses?" He asked, Anna shook her head, "Seriously?" he began to go into a heated ramble about the different houses. Ricky could tell the history of the houses overwhelmed Anna, and though she looked uncomfortable, she seemed to be entranced by Neo's rant.

As they walked into Transfiguration, Ricky gave a small waist high waved to his mother who glanced up as the students piled in. Her fingers were trembling, and she looked out of it as her waved two fingers at Ricky. The girl from the Mediterranean school who looked like she'd rather be anywhere but there sat in a back desk and glowered as students walked in. Ricky quickly walked past her to a window seat, Neo sat next to him and Anna sat in the desk next to them.

"Good morning, class." Phoenix didn't raise from her seat to greet them, "Let's see, I've got a few familiar faces-"

"Hello, Professor Weasley!" Neo called from the back, earning a few snickers from the Hogwarts students and confused, slightly off put stares from the others.

Phoenix smiled, "Yes, hello Mister Selwyn. Now, as I've said every year, Transfiguration is a powerful, sometimes dangerous subject."

"Any goofing off will get you kicked out that door." Ricky and Neo whispered together as Phoenix spoke it to the class.

Phoenix closed her mouth slowly, raising her eyebrow at her son and his friend, "And you will not return." she said once she was sure they wouldn't interrupt her again. "Now," she pushed herself up, "As Mister Selwyn has blurted out," the chalk behind her moved across the thin blackboard at the front of the room, "My name is Professor Weasley and this year you will be learning spells like transforming a dinner plate into a mushroom, the Gemino Curse, and several others. First," Phoenix walked down the aisle, "I would like you to take out your textbooks and copy down the first spell "Boletum", it's properties," Ricky tuned his mother out as she walked back up to the front of the room, "Any work you do not complete in the next hour will be homework." Ricky quickly pulled out a quill and some parchment, his text book already open on his lap.

"I want the first weekend free," Ricky told himself, "Especially since I'm head of the Quidditch team, I've got to hold tryouts." Ricky frowned as he looked over the mushroom spell. There was no logical need to have mushrooms with the flick of a wand, it seemed ridiculous. However, he was not one to question his mothers teaching, she may tend to favorite Gryffindor over the other houses, but she was very strict and fair to all the houses.

"Miss Genio, is there a reason you have not gotten to work?" Ricky glanced back at the Mediterranean girl, his mother was standing at the end of the girls desk, hands on her hips. The girl's scowl only soured more as she slowly sat up and with the flick of her finger the book flew open. Her chocolate brown eyes never faltering as they nearly stared his mother down.

Ricky held back a grimace, the wind picking up outside, "Just ignore her." he told himself, the wind dying as he turned back to his work. Ricky felt his head swimming as his quill scribbled over the parchment, when he glanced across the aisle at Anna he noticed she was writing with a small metal tube his mother and grandfather had called a pen.

"A quill you don't dip in ink." His mother had said in order to explain it to a confused Ricky. He honestly didn't know why his mother bothered to try and raise him like he was a half-blood or muggle born if he was just going to stay concealed in the magical world for the rest of his life.

Anna twirled the pen in her fingers, she clicked one end and the other disappeared, "Mr. Weasley, if you'd kindly stop looking at Miss Smith and get back to your notes," His mother said warningly, Anna's cheeks burned as she clicked her pen again. Ricky glanced at his mother who frowned. Ricky sighed and turned back to his work, the rest of the class went silently, and Ricky was thankful when the bell rang for third block.

"Ugh," Neo yawned, "I hate taking notes in there." He stretched.

"She's incapable of teaching." The Mediterranean girl snapped as she flounced past them. Ricky felt Neo's arms around him to keep him from lunging at the girl who didn't even so much as turn her head.

"Trotting brat." Ricky snarled, but he quickly smiled as Anna walked up to them.

"Where are you boys headed next?" she asked.

"Potions with," Neo glanced at his timesheet, "Professor Stacey?" Anna paled and frowned.

"That's my dad." She mumbled.

"Both your parents are professors?" Ricky asked, "I thought your dad wanted to-"

"He did it to try and get mom back." Anna frowned, "Anyways, if you see my sister there, tell her I said "hi"." Anna waved as she walked away, her black skirt swishing around her knees.

"I wonder where this potions is." Neo chewed his lip as he looked over the timesheet.

"It's down in the kitchen hallway." Cli said popping up from seemingly nowhere, Neo nearly jumped out of his skin as he glared at his twin.

"Why is it down there?" Ricky asked.

"Apparently this Professor Stacey likes to experiment on students." Cli shivered.

"Or, he doesn't want people blowing things up, and since there is actually windows that can open and away from the rest of the castle, there's a less likely chance of injury." Ricky suggested.

"Or if a kid gets poisoned he has an excuse for letting them die." Neo grinned and Cli frowned at the cheap trick to scare him.

"Or it's because my father is an anti-social prick who only thinks about himself." A red haired girl leaning against the stone wall huffed. "Hey, I'm Beth."

"Anna's sister, right?" Ricky asked, Neo and Cli looked at him confused, but Beth's grin only widened as she nodded, "She says "hi"." Ricky relayed. Where as Anna looked nothing like her mother, Beth looked just like her, from the bright red hair to the green eyes.

"You said your father is anti-social?" Cli asked in the awkward silence that followed, the four stood in the food portrait filled hallway.

"Yeah, total dick." Beth huffed, "Left mum "just cause"." She scoffed. Ricky raised an eyebrow, with how sensitive and gentle Anna had seemed, he expected the same thing from Beth. But Beth seemed much rougher, more confident-a just a touch frightening. Her voice wasn't heavily accented as he expected either, but she didn't have the stuffed nose sound Anna had. She also seemed much healthier than her sickly twin, Ricky was over all shocked at the dramatic difference between the two.

"Of course my mum and Uncle Draco are no different." Ricky reminded himself.

"Anyways." Beth said, scuffing her feet on the floor, "I was just leaving that class, I hope to see you boys later."

"This year I think we're brewing sleeping, sleepless, death, bone re-grow, as well as poisons and antidotes." A Mexican girl spoke up, talking to a boy next to her.

"Death?" Cli asked her, "That's sixth year stuff here." the girl either didn't care or had no comment as she shrugged.

"Who are you?" Ricky asked.

"Zelda." The girl introduced, "Zelda Zaldivar." she had long, wavy black hair and black eyes.

"Do you even know this professor?" Ricky asked accusingly.

"No, but my cousin had his class before this block." Her voice was heavily accented, and very slow as if struggling to form the words, "he said there's hardly any homework, if he doesn't want to grade it he can be sure as hell we don't want to do it." Zelda picked at her finger nails.

"Awesome." Ricky and Neo shared a grin.

"Why?" Zelda's eyes narrowed.

"Trying to clear up my weekend to announce Quidditch tryouts." Ricky explained.

"You play Quidditch?" Zelda asked, raising an eyebrow almost accusingly.

"Duh." Neo seemed unamused as the door opened and students piled in. "Ricky's been Keeper forever, best one out there." Neo slapped his back proudly.

"Sit wherever, I guess." The professor said as they all squeezed in. The room was large, with several windows, fireplaces, and tables. Against the back wall sat cupboards filled to the brim with supplies and utensils. Ricky, Cli, Neo and Zelda (uninvited) all sat at a large square table, Ricky and Zeldaseparating the brothers. Ricky knew from experience not to let them stand beside each other in potions. When Ricky finally got a glance at Professor Stacey, he understood where Anna got her looks. Where Beth was an exact copy of Professor Smith, Anna was an exact copy of Professor Stacey.

Stacey glanced around before he spoke again, "I'm not going to bother with names or introductions, my name is on your schedule and some of you know each other and some of you don't. Oh well. For your final this year you will be poisoning a victim and then bringing them back with an antidote you will make in this class." Professor Stacey explained, "If you fail," he trailed off and left it at that. "Today you will be doing something fairly easy, a sleep potion. Instructions on page forty-five of your books, ingredients in the back in alphabetical order." Stacey sat at his desk, "You will finish before class ends and try it out on a fellow classmate." Ricky ignored Stacey as he went to the back to look for a bottle of Flobberworm Mucus.

"Watch where you're going, Weasley." A large body slammed into his shoulder. Geoffrey Finn, a Ravenclaw Beater, grinned sinisterly over his shoulder. Ricky growled, the wind picking up and blowing dead leaves against the window.

"Just stay out of my way, Finn." Ricky growled, grabbing a bottle of Flobberworm Mucus and walking back to his table. Since the potion was a low level, simple potion they'd made in previous years with Professor Slughorn, most of the Hogwarts students were finished relatively quickly. However, the Outback students finished just as quickly and they watched as Professor Stacey walked around.

"I hear he does this every year." Zelda whispered to the three of them, "Kinda scares everyone into doing their best, I guess."

"Why?" Cli asked.

"If you get cocky, or just plain make it wrong, he'll leave you on the ground asleep or writhing till he thinks a "message" has sunken in about how serious potions is-"

"Black eyes," Professor Stacey snapped, "Since you're so keen on talking, pick your poison and your victim." Zelda took a deep breath through her nose, she took her time strolling around the classroom looking at the different potions and then the brewer. She skipped over a few people, Ricky assumed she knew them and their talents in potions, however she hovered over a few people from Hogwarts that Ricky knew were awful at potions. Rigby Crowe, a Gryffindor, looked like he were about to pass out as Zelda's fingers hovered over his vial. She pulled away and quickly strode over to Ricky, snatching up his potion.

"This one." She said bravely.

"Very well." Professor Stacey shrugged, "You," he nodded to Ricky, "Red head. Give her the potion and catch her." By the time he'd gotten it out Zelda had already downed the potion. Ricky's eyes widened and he let out a strangled cry as Zelda collapsed into his arms. He caught her easily, however, hearing a crack, he prayed her head didn't smack the table. Professor Stacey walked over, standing before Ricky and the sleeping, dead weight Zelda.

"If brewed correctly, she'll be awake in a few minutes, you may lay her down." Professor Stacey waved.

"But what if it's not-"

"If you doubt your own potion you should not be in this class." Professor Stacey snapped. Ricky wanted to snap something about how happy Professor Smith seemed without him, but figured that would end badly for the entire class. Slowly, Ricky lowered to his knees, he gently laid Zeldadown on the ground. "Pick your poison."

* * *

"What a complete nutter!" Allie hissed at lunch, she marched over to the Gryffindor table when she'd spotted Beth and Anna sitting with Ricky and Neo. "If someone hadn't brewed it right-"

"Then you shouldn't have been in the class." Ricky and Neo finished. Ricky glanced across the Hall to Cli who was talking to Zelda and a boy (who Ricky assumed was her cousin with the similar black hair, only curly and warmer-brown eyes).

"Didn't he do it with your class too?" Beth asked.

"Yes, but," Allie huffed, clearly embarrassed, "We had Slytherins and Ravenclaws in our class, all of us are capable-"

"Marcus Stonebridge is not capable of anything except looking like the child of a pig and a troll." Neo grinned.

"He made a perfectly fine potion," Allie defended, "I was out for only five minutes."

"You took Stonebridge's potion?" Ricky demanded, for some reason, the idea did not sit well with him. He knew all too well that Stonebridge hated Ricky and Allie, he'd always been cruel to the two. Allie only scoffed and ignored him, "Allie Kingston-"

"Fred Rick Lucius Weasley." Allie hissed back, she had tears in her eyes.

"God, she's been so emotional lately." Ricky wanted to whisper to himself, but if Allie had heard he'd never live it down. Instead he bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood, but not hard enough for him to feel in his angered state. Why was he angry again?

"Well," Neo stood up, "Beth and I will be headed to "Endurance", and Anna you remember where we told you Divination is, right?" He said trying to diffuse the tension. Anna nodded quickly and waved goodbye, Neo and Beth quickly followed after her. Allie looked like she was going to say something, but thought better of it and closed her mouth. She turned and walked out of the Great Hall. Ricky sighed and pushed the rest of his lunch away, he stood up and grabbed his bag.

Walking out to the flat grounds just outside the castle walls where the greenhouses were, Ricky caught up with Neo and Beth. A small Mexican styled hut sat out in the middle of the flat grounds. Ricky caught sight of Miss Genio, he kept away from her, and instead chatted with Beth and Neo.

"So, you two have the same schedule?" Beth asked.

"Yep." Neo answered.

"Don't you two get tired of each other?" She asked.

"Me and him have had the same schedule since our first year, and we share a dormitory-" Ricky explained.

"I see Dominique coming down." Neo noted.

"So we kind of put up with each other." Ricky shrugged, instinctively catching his cousin as she latched onto his back. "This is my cousin, Dominique." he introduced, "Dominique, this is Beth, she's from the Outback."

"Hi." Dominique smiled politely.

"Hey." Beth grinned.

"Our family is extensive." Dominique explained, "There's loads of us running around."

"How many exactly?" Beth inquired.

"Ten of us." Ricky answered, "Eleven if you would count my cousin, Scorpius."

"Holy-"

"Hola, silencio por favor." A dark skinned man with trimmed brown hair and dull blue eyes, "Step inside, welcome to Endurance." Neo, Beth, Dominique and Ricky shared a look of confusion as they stepped in the small shack with the other students. Inside the shack opened up to a large rectangular room, the floor was wooden and several colored lines ran along floor.

"What exactly is Endurance?" A student from Outback asked.

"If one of my students would demonstrate?" The professor asked, "Phoenix, what about you?" Neo, Dominique, and Ricky watched shocked as the scowling girl stepped up.

"Genio's name is Phoenix?" Neo asked shocked.

"Pure coincidence." Ricky assured as Phoenix Genio began to run around the perimeter of the room. She came back and stood at their professors side.

"Show these foreign boys how a real Auror trains." He beamed. Phoenix seemed emotionless and unflinching as an obstacle course appeared. As she expertly weaved through the course, their professor spoke up, "My name is Sir Willow. Endurance is a class that will push your physical limits. If any dark creature should attack you, spells and curses alone will not save you." Phoenix finished the course and stood by Sir Willow, hands on her hips, "Record time, Miss Genio." Phoenix scoffed and blew the hair out of her face.

* * *

**I'm cutting this chapter short...**

**So I'm guessing some people didn't read any of Phoenix Malfoy otherwise they'd known that the reason why the previous was 19 year later was because it was the EPILOUGE to Phoenix Malfoy.**

**19 years later was the epilouge for the BOOK, it just so happens that since the Quidditch World Cup happened so close to uploading I decided to upload that before the Epilouge (other wise this story would jump to 19 years later then back a couple of years to the World Cup)**

**Anyways I'm cutting it short because i've lost all motivation to write...**

**Today my dad called me and my sister worthless and retarded...he was yelling and throwing things and...My mom wouldn't even help...she just left...**


	4. Remember me

"I am definitely not going to like Endurance." Neo trudged alongside Ricky and Dominique.

"Do you guys not having a class like that?" Beth asked, Ricky shook his head, sweat making his school robes stick to him, he was a tad bit envious of the other schools loose and cooled uniforms. "It's kind of like gym back home." Beth stretched, "So, where are you lot headed next?" she asked.

"Care of Magical Creatures." Ricky answered.

"I've got Muggle Studies." Dominique sighed.

"Same," Beth grinned, she had taken to Endurance easier than the Hogwarts students had, apparently gym or endurance was something she was used to, "Do you have the Hogwarts teacher?" She asked.

"Yeah." Dominique smiled.

Ricky waved goodbye to his cousin and Beth, happy that Dominique seemed to be making a friend. "So, two more classes and then supper." Neo rubbed his stomach.

"Don't even talk about food, I'm going to be sick." Ricky groaned, his abdomen in pain from Endurance class. "Not to mention," he told himself as Neo went on about food to purposely make him sick, "Mum seemed scared of something earlier…" he looked up at the castle as they walked through the courtyard out to the grounds near the Quidditch Pitch, "I hope everything's okay back home…" He paused, "Maybe it's because Minnie's in Slytherin, I wonder how dad'll take it." he frowned, walking to the edge of the Forbidden Forest where a group of students were gather, Ricky spotted Allie leaning against a tree-the only person actually in the forest. Phoenix Genio was the one closest to Allie, and therefore the closest to the forest. Ricky frowned, how had Phoenix Genio known the professor from the Mexican school? Why did she apparently hate everything?

"Hey." Allie smiled at Neo and Ricky when they walked up, he pointedly ignored Phoenix Genio, and was glad when he noticed Neo doing the same.

"Hi." Ricky smiled back. He was glad Allie's bitterness had faded since that morning, to be honest he didn't know if he could handle her ignoring him again.

"How was Endurance? Phoenix says you two were-what was it?" Allie asked with a grin, "Noodle-like?" for the first time, Ricky saw the scowl on Phoenix being replaced with a mischievous smile and a giggle. Allie snickered with her, Ricky frowned at how the two seemed to be bonding.

"What I would like to know is, how did Phoenix know Professor Willow?" Ricky asked, leaning on the tree beside Allie who moved to tuck herself under one of his arms. The movement was unconscious but Ricky felt electricity run up his hand, he was sure Allie felt it too for she jumped slightly before settling.

"God, Ricky, did you drag your socks across the carpet?" Allie teased. Ricky frowned, perhaps he actually had shocked her, but he focused back on Phoenix Genio who was once again scowling.

"My father is a world renown Healer, Mathias caught an incurable cough from a Weasley Whizzes Snack. My father is the only one who can cure the incurable." Phoenix said proudly.

"I highly doubt that." Ricky hissed back.

"He is." Phoenix insisted, her scowl was replaced with a defensive snarl, "There hasn't been a sickness brought before him that he couldn't cure-"

"Weasley Snacks are not awful sickness's. They pass once it goes through the system and out the other end." Both girls pulled a face and Ricky grinned as Neo laughed. "Besides, if that claim were true your father would be world news." Phoenix's cheeks singed pink, "Good," he thought, "She deserves it for what she said about mum."

"You'll see." Phoenix growled, just then a young looking man with wavy, shoulder length, brown hair, dark brown eyes, and just a bit of a stubble, walked from out of nowhere in the Forbidden Forest. Around his neck hung a gaudy gold chain that seemed to have raw gold nuggets just strung around the chain.

"Greetings little creatures." The man grinned wildly, "Hey," he winked at a Slytherin girl who's jaw had dropped. He rubbed the back of his neck, "Nice to meet you," he stuck his hand out, the girl took it and promptly screamed. The man laughed as she dropped a bloodied ear, Ricky flinched and frowned. "Ah, get's them every time. But seriously, the creatures you will be raising this year could cause you harm, those of weak heart of limb should leave." Neo chuckled and Allie rolled her eyes. "Right, come this way." he nodded for them to follow. Ricky glanced back at the Slytherin girl who was wiping the blood off her hand and stepping over the ear.

"So!" The man started walking backward, "My name is Deeth Bitter, those of you who are formal may call me Mr. Bitter, or Professor Bitter, those of you who aren't-I'm looking at you, Tuk." Ricky didn't glance back, but the boy laughed and Deeth Bitter grinned, "This year you will be exploring the different aquatic creatures found in the Mediterranean Sea, and raising a surprise creature." Ricky glanced at Allie who grinned up at him excitedly, he smiled back at her. She grabbed his arm, practically bouncing on her heels as she walked, nearly pulling Ricky along with the class.

"And…here," Deeth looked around, pulling out his light colored wand, "We…" He looked posed, as if ready to pounce on something they didn't see, "Are!" he waved his wand and it was if a shimmering invisibility cloak had been thrown off a dome like building. "Yes, yes, step right in, ladies and gentlemen." Deeth held the door open for the students. There were several large tanks filled with exotic looking creatures, all swimming to get a look at the new students coming in, suspended from the middle of the dome's ceiling was an hourglass. "Yes, they are all lovely, gorgeous creatures. Today, you lot stay down there," Deeth motioned to the middle of the dome floor as he ran up a set of metal stairs that clanked with every heavy step. "We are going to look at a rather harmless creature first," He went to the edge of the metal walkway at the top of the metal stairs. "This." Deeth whistled and raised his hand and a pink and grey creature jumped out of the water, "Is a show off." Deeth grinned and the creature apparently peeked out of the water because Deeth was grinning down at the water.

Ricky watched as Deeth kicked off his shoes and sat on the edge of the platform, "This beautiful creature is a juvenile Imperatrix." As he explained, the pink and grey creature popped up over the edge of the water tank, slashing water to the tiled floor below. Most of it's skin was grey, aside from a few pink freckles along its arms, chest, neck and hairline. Its eyes were golden and seemed to glow, and its teeth were sharp and plentiful. Ricky watched as the Imperatrix folded its arms on the edge of the tank, thick cartilage connecting her wrist down to another part of her body that was under the water.

"Sir? Why does she gave gold on her?" A student peeped up.

"An Imperatrix is named so because they are the Empress of the Sea." Deeth explained, "She wears gold that's been lost at sea as a sign of her superiority over the other sea dwellers. When there is more than one Imperatrix in an area they will show off their gold, which ever has the most will be the superior Empress of the area." Deeth explained. Ricky watched as the Imperatrix flicked a pink tail out of the water and smiled down at the students.

"Now, this is a tame Imperatrix, she's given me her gold." Deeth showed the gaudy gold necklace to the students. Ricky watched as the Imperatrix splashed water at Deeth. "However, as a juvenile, she's very sassy." He laughed at her, "I've had her since she was just a Pod Imperatrix."

"A pod?" Ricky asked.

"Yes, glad you asked." Deeth grinned, "A Pod Imperatrix is essentially a very round fish, about the size of a Quaffle, and is a baby Imperatrix. They start off as a small golden egg, and their body forms around the egg. As a Pod they have no human like appendages so if a Pod finds gold, they stuff it in their cheeks." Deeth explained. Ricky tuned out as he explained the growth cycle of an Imperatrix. Several students were done looking at her and were tuning Deeth out, looking around at the other tanks.

"Now!" Deeth clapped and Ricky jumped with the rest of the class at attention, Neo stifled a yawn and stretched. Allie leaned on Ricky's shoulder, her eyes bored and out of focus. "Who wants to have a go at convincing the lovely sea lady into giving up some gold?" Several boys raised their hands, Neo among them, and Ricky bet half of them just wanted to see the Imperatrix up close.

"How about you?" Deeth pointed to Phoenix, "Wanna have a go, Phoenix?" he asked.

"No, thank you." Phoenix brushed him off, it didn't falter their professor's grin.

"How about you?" Deeth pointed to Allie who lifted her head and pointed at herself, "Yeah, you." Ricky nudged her forward. Allie blushed as she walked up the metal stairs, "Now, you're going to have to kneel down and extend your hand over the water." Deeth explained as Allie walked down the walkway, "I'll call her over once you're ready." Allie kneeled down next to Deeth, Ricky clenched his jaw as Deeth laid a hand on her shoulder.

"He's our professor, he wouldn't possibly do anything like that to Allie." Ricky reminded himself, "Do anything like that? What am I thinking?" Ricky wanted to dunk his head in a water tank to wake himself up, perhaps the muggy air in the dome had clogged something in his brain. He glanced at Phoenix Genio who looked more pissed than anyone he'd ever seen, perhaps she was regretting not going up?

Allie had her hand over the water, Deeth whistled again and waved his hand over his shoulder. The Imperatrix dived backward into the water, splashing the boys closest to her tank. "Alright, she's going to inspect your hand, if the quills on her neck and ears start to stand, pull your hand back slowly," Deeth explained, looking deep in Allie's hands as the Imperatrix circled below, "If that doesn't happen, she should reach up out of the water and-who knows-she may give you some gold."

Then the water rippled, Ricky held his breath, he had a hand on his bag, fingers brushing the end of his wand. Then, slowly, he saw the Imperatrix raise out of the water, her flat nose sniffed Allie's shaking hand. "Easy." Deeth reassured both Allie and the Empress, "Easy." Then the Imperatrix sank and little lower, bobbing up and down for a second before jumping up and slipping something on Allie's hand. "Bravo!" Deeth clapped, Ricky let out the breath he'd been holding and clapped alongside Neo. Neo gave out a whistle as Allie walked back down admiring the gold she'd been given. "Now, since miss-I'm sorry, you came up here and I didn't even catch your name."

"Oh, Allie Kingston." Allie smiled.

"Now, since Allie was given gold, Empress will recognize her and obey any command Allie gives-if she recognizes the command." Ricky clapped Allie on the back, proud of her.

"That could have ended very badly." Ricky thought, sighing. Allie admired the small gold ring on her pinkie, like Deeth's gold nugget necklace, Allie's little ring had a small gold nugget on it. "I would hate to be on the other side of that ring if it were throwing a punch." Ricky's eyes widened, looking at the ring."

"Be warned," Deeth said soberly, "Wild Imperatrix will seldom give up their gold, these are not status pets, they are wild and aggressive animals and-" Deeth noticed the hourglass, "We are all out of time to see a full grown, wild Imperatrix, so head on back to the castle, and I'll see you next time. No homework, by the way."

Ricky grinned and high fived Neo-it seemed this year would be easiest, which would be a relief if that were so. Allie just grinned and walked arm-in-arm with the boys as they left. Ricky noticed Phoenix lingering behind, but paid her no mind, "Don't care." he told himself. On the walk back to the castle, Ricky turned to look at Allie, "How was Minnie last night after the sorting ceremony?" he asked.

"Well, she hardly ate during the feast." Allie said, a slight spring in her step, "But once she saw the common room she relaxed a little, I think having Louis with her really helped." They stepped back into the castle and looked at the Great Hall longingly, wanting to eat till they were stuffed and crawl in bed.

"Speak of the-oomph!" Neo doubled over as Minnie ran smack into him.

"Oh!" Minnie pulled back, blushing furiously, "Sorry, Neo! I was looking for Bird!"

"Bird?" Allie asked.

"The blind girl who was sorted into Gryffindor." Ricky explained, "Why were you looking for her, Minnie?"

"She has class with me and Louis, and she's my new friend and-but-" Minnie's breathing became rapid, Ricky immediately pulled away from Allie and Neo.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, I'm sure she's fine." Ricky reassured his sister who was beginning to shake.

"Oh! I promised her I'd take care of her!" Minnie looked as if she were about to start wailing.

"Shh, okay, what class do you have next?" Ricky asked.

"Ricky, we've got to go." Neo looked around uncomfortably at the emptying hallways.

"Transfiguration with mum." Minnie answered, ignoring Neo.

"Okay, go tell mum and she'll have Bird found, okay? Leave this to the professors-"

"But I promised her!" Minnie protested.

"And you'll be keeping your promise by not getting in trouble and having an adult find her. If you get in trouble and get a detention-on the first day," Ricky reminded her, "Mum will have an entire farm and who will look after Bird from then on?" This seemed to snap Minnie to her senses, but she still glared up at him before running off. Ricky frowned, Minnie had never glared at him like that before, it was as if she were genuinely mad at him for proving her wrong and setting her straight. Before he could question it however, Allie bid them goodbye and Neo pulled him to their final class.

"This "Health" class is right across from the hospital wing, shouldn't be too hard for you to find." Neo grinned, but Ricky frowned. Minnie's glare made him feel as though he failed her somehow, he sighed and shook it off.

The "Health" class room was the most normal of the foreign professors so far. Standard desks, a teachers desk at the front of the room, a wheeled blackboard, it would have been normal had there not been several old mannequins scattered in the room.

"Welcome to Health." The professor at the front greeted kindly.

Ricky's brows furrowed, "He looks oddly familiar."

"My name is Professor Genio." Ricky's eyes widened, recognizing the chocolate brown eyes and curly black hair as traits Phoenix had.

"It's her father." Ricky felt as though he'd been punched in the gut, he gripped a desk he was passing promptly scaring the Mexican boy sitting there.

"Dude, are you okay?" He registered Neo asking him.

"Yeah." Ricky nodded, gasping for air, when had the room gotten so hot? Glancing through his red locks, he noticed Genio looking at him, concerned. "Merlin, what's wrong with me?" something about the professor's sad brown eyes made him feel guilty, as if he deserved to be buried alive and left alone for the rest of eternity.

"Are you sure?" Neo asked, grabbing his shoulder-

"No." Ricky thought panicking. Neo jumped back, clutching his singed hand, a few strands of blond hair sticking up on end, he looked at Ricky horrified, memories of their second year flashing in his eyes.

* * *

_"None of you can tell a soul! Not even my mum!" Ricky whispered in a hushed tone to his three best friends in the back of the library._

_"Tell anyone what, Ricky?" Allie asked annoyed that the boys had interrupted her study session and kicked out her study partner._

_"I'm a weather wizard." Ricky blurted out. Cli gasped, Neo laughed and Allie looked at the boys confused._

_"A what?" Allie asked._

_"A weather wizards, magical folk that can control the weather, like how metamorphmagus can control their appearances." Cli explained, "They are usually hunted by dark or power hungry wizards to destroy acres of land at a time to warn muggles and wizards alike."_

_"But you're not actually a weather wizard." Neo finished laughing, small giggles escaping his lips occasionally, "I know that bludger hit you hard last month, but I didn't think it hit you that hard!"_

_"I'm serious!" Ricky protested, he felt childish for doing so, but he stamped his foot an a tree branch hit the window behind them. The children jumped and realized a wind storm had been brewing up outside, however they hadn't noticed because frost had been climbing up the window. Neo and Cli looked panicked but Allie still looked confused._

_"Why would you think we'd tell someone?" she asked._

_"I don't know." Ricky frowned. "Get some Galleons, fame…Weather Wizards are rare and I think I'm the only one…" he chewed on his bottom lip._

_"Impossible." Cli noted, "Godric Gryffindor was rumored to have been a Weather Wizard."_

_"Really?" Neo and Ricky asked, Cli nodded._

_"Right so…you won't like…combust into flames will you?" Allie asked._

_"I don't know." Ricky answered honestly, "I'm too scared to tell mum and dad, and-oh god-if Minnie and Mikey ever found out they'd think I was some sort of monster!" He could feel a ton of energy building up in his chest, it was getting harder to breathe._

_"Dude, calm down." Neo placed a hand on his shoulder and suddenly jumped back giving out a howl of pain._

_"Neo!" Cli grabbed his brother to steady him, Ricky watched horrified, backed in the corner as Cli wrenched Neo's arm away from his chest, inspecting it. "Small burn, look." Cli pointed out a bright pink explosion like bit of flesh on Neo's palm, "There's a potion that will heal it, let's go get Madam Pomfrey-"_

_"No!" Allie snapped, "What if she asks for an explanation. No, we do this the muggle way." She hopped out of her chair and instructed the boys to follow. Allie lead the way, with Cli comforting Neo behind her, Ricky trailed behind, his heart racing as he looked at his hands as though he were a monster._

* * *

This time, Neo was ready, "Are either of you hurt?" Professor Genio asked.

"Yeah, fine." Neo smiled, "Just hit a nerve or something." He shrugged off the excess electricity and headed to his seat. Professor Genio looked at him expectantly, ducking his head down, Ricky quickly walked past him and sat down next to Neo.

"Yes, well." Professor Genio walked back to the front of the class, "Welcome to Health, where you will learn healing charms and potions, what to do when potions and charms don't or won't work, and how to recognize signs of sickness. First day will be relatively easy, I'd like for you to write down what you know about healing charms and potions, their properties, how to perform or prepare them, and how to identify them."

Ricky's head felt fuzzy as he tried to focus on the parchment he'd pulled out. He licked his lips anxiously, feeling as though at any moment he may be sick. Neo was glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, concerned. Ricky continuously waved his hand to reassure him, but even glancing at his friend made him feel nauseous.

"Get it together, so what if this guy is Phoenix's father?" Ricky scolded himself, "What is wrong with you?" Ricky sighed and ran a hand through his hair, he could feel sweat dripping down from his hair line, feel it running down his back causing his robes to stick to him, feel it gathering at his neck in a cold perspire. He wanted to do nothing more than throw the chair he was sitting in at the window. Frost crept up his fingers, "Stop!" He told himself, "What is wrong with me? Ever since last year my powers have gone all wrong!" He tried to think of something that could have cause his powers to freak out, he knew Teddy lost his ability to change his appearance for a while when he learned he was half werewolf. "Yeah, but he had Vi to cheer him up. Merlin, even her patronus changed into a wolf to support him." Ricky buried his head in his hands. Neo nudged his knee with his own, Ricky waved to fingers, letting him know he was still okay. "For the most part." Ricky sighed. He straightened up as best as he could and copied down all he could remember from charms and potions.

"For homework," Professor Genio said just before the bell ran for supper, "I would like you all to write one scroll of describing a terrible sickness you've had, everyone's been sick at least once." He nodded goodbye once the bell sounded, Ricky couldn't sprint to the door quick enough, Neo on his heels.

"What's wrong?" Allie asked, coming up beside him. He didn't know what class she had, but blinked wearily at her, his mind felt even more clouded, and his heart felt as though it had sank to his knees. "Ricky, what's wrong?" she repeated.

"I'm fine." Ricky insisted.

"No, you're not." Allie pulled him along, "Neo, tell his family that Ricky feel ill and will be along shortly."  
"Who died and made you queen?" Neo demanded, Ricky didn't see but he was sure Allie glared at him, because he heard Neo's quick retreating footsteps as Allie pulled him behind her.

"Bloody hell, Allie, where are you taking me?" Ricky asked, tripping up a set of stairs.

"Get in." Allie shoved him in a small door, the inside of the room was instantly calming. The floor was covered in cushions, the only light came from an ethereal glow that slowly faded from blue to green back to blue.

"What is this place?" Ricky asked, his head feeling clear, but chest still feeling heavy.

"Room of Requirement…This is where I usually disappear when I don't want you boys bothering me." Allie admitted sheepishly, walking around him, she took his hand and expertly walked over the cushions, pulling him along, his long legs tangling till eventually gravity got the better. Chest, neck and face on fire, Ricky glanced up at Allie who was dreamily staring at the ceiling. When Ricky looked up he noticed the ceiling was dotted with stars, much like the Great Hall-which was where they should have been.

"God, she looks beautiful." Ricky sighed thinking to himself, then he shook his head and laid back on the cushions. He closed his eyes, "Get a grip, Allie's your best friend, not someone like Natalia Brand." Ricky took a deep, calming breath. Suddenly there was warmth at his side, he opened his eyes and looked down, Allie was tucked under his arm, looking up at the ceiling as though she were in a dream-like trance. She opened her mouth, like she was preparing to say something, but nothing came out and she just scooted closer to him, closing her eyes. Ricky unconsciously wrapped his arm around her, holding her to his side, there was a jolt of electricity where his hand rested on her hip, but she didn't jump back this time. He had no idea how long they laid in there, just breathing in the calming air, eyes closed, bodies so close but too far.

"Merlin, just sit up so I can pull you closer." Ricky pleaded to himself, however, when Allie leaned up, he got lost in her jeweled eyes and laid there unmoving. Allie looked like she were going to speak again, but instead she just brushed a few stray strands of red hair out of his face. Ricky had the urge to silence her unspoken words, he sat up, unsure of his own actions. Allie sat back on her knees, their thighs touching, "She's so far away." Ricky wanted to reach out and grab her, he wanted to keep her for himself. He had a fleeting thought, "Is this how dad feels when he looks at mum?" but quickly pushed it away as his hand moved of its own accord to tangle in her black hair. They were so close, Ricky was sure the whole room reverberated with his quickened heartbeat. He could feel her cool, jagged, breath on his lips and it was so tantalizing to be so close yet so far. He pulled her closer, "She's your friend!" he screamed at himself, before he could hesitate or stop though Allie stopped him, their lips just barely touching.

"We should," her voice cracked, "We should get back to the Great Hall…we're about twenty minutes late…" she whispered shyly.

"No," Ricky wanted pout, he wanted to stay hidden in the room forever, with her. But Allie was already standing, holding her hand out to him, he was taking it and they were leaving. Ricky looked back at the door as it disappeared into the stone wall, feeling as though he should have done it when he had the chance. He sighed and walked along side Allie who seemed no different than before they'd gone in the room.

"Well, now that you know my secret hiding spot, I guess I'll be seeing more of you this year." Allie laughed gently to herself, as though she'd just said a funny joke.

"Yes." Ricky wanted to pull her back to the room straight away, "I want to see more of you-God, shut up! She's your best friend! Stop thinking like that!"

"Well, see you tomorrow." Allie waved goodbye at the Great Hall doors, leaving Ricky standing there, dazed, and upset. He looked up at the staff table, the seat between McGonagall and Hagrid empty, he frowned. Turing on his heel he walked away from the Great Hall, even though his stomach growled in protest.

"Mum?" He knocked on the transfiguration office door, "Are you in there?" he asked.

A tired looking Phoenix Weasley answered the door, "Oh, Ricky, what are you doing here?" She gripped the door frame to keep her hands from shaking.

"Is everything okay, mum?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh, yes," Phoenix answered quickly, "Yes, everything's fine."

"You just seem…" Ricky frowned, "On edge."

"Yes, well," Phoenix smiled and reached out, cupping his chin and running a thumb over his cheek, "It is the first day." Ricky pulled away from her motherly touch, slight embarrassed. "I'm fine. I promise."

"Right." Ricky frowned, "Well, did Minnie seem okay to you today?"

Now Phoenix looked genuinely shocked, "Yes, she seemed fine. Her and Louis. They're looking after the little blind girl-Bird-"

"Yeah, I know." Ricky nodded, "I was just curious."

Phoenix slowly closed her mouth and leaned against the door frame, she looked him up and down for a few seconds. "Don't forget, this Friday, you and the family are going to Hagrid's for tea."

"Right." Ricky nodded, having completely forgotten, "I'll remember."

"Tell James and Albus when you go back to the common room, will you?" Phoenix asked pleasantly.

"Sure thing, mum." Ricky nodded.

"Oh," Ricky turned and blinked in shocked to see Professor Genio a few steps away, he looked like he'd been caught in a lewd act and shifted uncomfortably.

Phoenix leaned her head out of the door frame and quickly snapped her body back into her office, "Curfew is soon, dear, you should get back to the common room." She told him, Ricky glanced between his mother and Professor Genio who looked like he was practically sweating his entire being into nothingness. Ricky said nothing as he walked past Professor Genio. He glanced behind him and noticed that Genio had taken his placed outside his mothers office door. Pressing himself between a tapestry and a suit of armor, Ricky strained his ears to hear the two.

"Please, Phoenix, at least talk to me. Can't you do that after-"

"After you stopped writing and out of the blue told me you were getting married?" Phoenix demanded with a laugh, he was reminded of his grandmother when she said something particularly cruel but funny. "I think not, and you'll be lucky if I don't kick your daughter out of my class."

"Don't bring our troubles into my daughters life." Genio snapped harshly.

"Our troubles?" Phoenix repeated, using stressed emphasis on "our". Ricky's heart was beating rapidly, "Our troubles have nothing to do with it. She blatantly disobeyed my authority-and according to most of the Hogwarts staff she's been disrespecting the ghost and my fellow peers." Phoenix snapped in her "that's final" tone. Ricky frowned, he felt like he was invading on something private, but if she and Professor Genio went back, how come he'd never heard of him? How come his mother gave no inclination to him just a mere minute ago that she knew Genio? His head buzzed and the suit of armor vibrated next to him with static. "And what's this, naming her Phoenix?" His mother demanded, "Hm?" she questioned. Ricky began to inch away, peeking out he noticed his mother had stepped out and was now glaring up defiantly at Genio with her Malfoy glare. Genio looked like he was cornered, even though the wide open, empty hallway was to his back, he didn't seem to want to move an inch as he arched his neck down to look at her.

"I missed you." Genio said simply, and soothingly, his mother's bottom lip trembled. Ricky couldn't tell if she was holding back a scowl or a sob. "Phoenix, please, let me explain-"

"No, Cyrus. Let me explain." Phoenix said, stepping back to pinch her pointer fingers to her thumbs, "You are the one that just disappeared and didn't write back for months, you are the one that got married without warning-without telling me-without even breaking up with me!" Ricky inched down the hallway at a much quicker pace, nearly knocking into the suit of armor. His heart was beating a million miles a second and the corridor felt extremely hot and tight, he wanted to shimmy down to the end of the hall and sprint to the common room.

"I didn't want to do something so personal over letter-"

"What would you have rather seen me cry in person?" Phoenix demanded. Genio stayed quiet, and Ricky froze, not daring to breath as the silence clouded the hallway.

"I never meant to make you cry-"

"Yeah well you're about twenty three years late on that apology-and it will not be accepted." Phoenix said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"What can I do to get you back?" Genio pleaded, Ricky wanted to throw up his supper, but he also wanted to step out and sock Genio in the jaw.

"Get me-excuse you?" Phoenix demanded, "I am married! And incase you didn't notice-that was my son I was just talking to!" Phoenix practically screeched. Ricky could hear the wind howling against the castle as the urge to hex Genio to oblivion increased.

"I had hoped he wasn't." Genio sighed sadly, "But I should have known from the moment he stepped in my class." Genio trailed off, Phoenix said nothing, "He has your eyes."


	5. Tryouts

**WARNING: There is some...sensitive stuff touched in this chapter (self harming)...if you don't like it/can't handle it feel free to skip it. It's sort of essential to plot but, you can skip it, you won't be completely lost without it.**

* * *

"I swear, there's more an' more of you lot showin' up each year." Hagrid greeted Ricky and Minnie at the door to his hut, "Come on in." Hagrid stood aside with a smile. James and Albus were already there, Albus and Minnie quickly made b-lines to each other to share their first week.

"Seems Al's fear of losing his family was wrong." Ricky thought plopping down in a seat by the window. Victoire was sitting prim and proper in her normal chair beside Hagrid's, Dominique on the floor next to her and Louis was sitting at the table, his eyes drooped and tired from classes. He looked back up at the castle, Allie and the others would be eating supper just about now. He wondered what she'd thought of to get the Room of Requirement to calm him. Molly was sitting prim and proper at the table across from Louis, a book titled "Magical Encyclopedia" in her hands. Lucy was sitting next to James, and when she finally looked over at Ricky her eyes lit up.

"Ricky, when's tryouts?" She asked eagerly.

"This weekend or the next," Ricky answered, "Depends on how many people can sign up and how much work is given this first week." Lily looked slightly upset, but quickly smiled again as Rose finally came bounding in.

"Sorry I'm late." Rose beamed brightly.

"It's alright." Hagrid grinned, closing the door as Rose took a seat with Al, Minnie and Louis at the table. "'ow's e'eryone's first week? Hm?" Hagrid asked, beginning to prepare tea in a metal kettle.

The first years told their stories first, Ricky listened as they eagerly shared and rambled off. "And professor Slughorn is so old." Albus went on, "He was really nice though. And then this foreign teacher named Willow has this really weird class-"

"You have it too?" Louis asked, Al nodded eagerly. Ricky tuned the first years out as Hagrid handed him a blue tea cup with white poke-a-dots. He smiled his thanks as Hagrid walked on. His sat his hot tea on his lap, he knew the tea would taste bitter and leave a dry itchy feeling in his throat so he decided he'd slowly pour some to the twitching plant by his chair every so often.

Minnie told her story about her new friends in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. "Takin' after your brother are ye? Green red and blue. Except I don't wan' no Slytherin and Gryffindor mingling on my watch." Hagrid nodded to Ricky who felt the heat creep up his neck, a the fireplace seemed to roar with heat. "Him an' Miss Kingsley-"

"Alright, enough of that, Molly, how was your first week?" He asked his cousin who didn't seem comfortable with lifting her eyes from her book.

She spoke clearly and coolly, "Same as it's usually been, Ricky." Molly answered, "Work, work," She paused, "Work." She over emphasized the word, not lifting her eyes.

"Miss Teacher's Princess here," Lucy sighed, "Anyways, there's this really cute Mexican boy in my...Health class. What kind of class is that anyways?"

"Health class." Ricky suppressed a shiver of disgust, he'd avoided looking at the Health professor, trailing off into his own world Ricky frowned. "How did he know mum? And what did he mean to get "back" with her? Were they together before? His mother wasn't open about her childhood but he at least knew her old friends. In fact, he met his friends Neo and Cli the same way his mother had met their father-on the boats to Hogwarts. Justin Selwyn, after struggling with depression when his best friend went missing after the last wizarding war eventually married a nice young lady and had Neo and Cli.

But he never recalled a "Cyrus Genio" being brought up in conversation, he wondered if something bad had happened between his parents and Cyrus.

"An' what abou' you, Ricky?" Hagrid asked.

Ricky pulled out of his daydream lazily, as he looked at his family, "Eventful." was all he could muster, Hagrid frowned as the others began to thank him for his tea and bade good night to him.

"You lot make sure the first years get to the castle," Hagrid said, "Keep an eye on Minnie, I wan' to talk to Ricky." Ricky looked at him surprised, he hadn't even dumped his tea, he frowned and sat it aside. Standing up to move closer to Hagrid's normal chair. Hagrid waved goodbye to the others as they left, he closed the door and silently went to his chair. "Now, I wan' you to be 'onest wi' me, Ricky." Hagrid said seriously, completely awake and pulled from his daydreaming, Ricky watched Hagrid with wide eyes. "Wha' 'appened this week to make it "eventful"." Hagrid rolled his eyes at the word as though it were absurd.

Ricky chewed on the inside of his bottom lip wondering if he should tell Hagrid, "I did write to aunt Ginny and dad, I really shouldn't spread anything." But as he looked at Hagrid, he remembered that Hagrid probably sat with his mother like this when something troubled her. He looked around, quickly, briefly trying to turn back the weather to see how she'd been. He couldn't imagine her in a Gryffindor uniform and hair band as the family swore she used to wear all the time, or how when she outgrew it she kept her hair in a braid. How often did she visit Hagrid?

"Ricky?" Hagrid asked.

Ricky shook his head, "Sorry, been…day dreaming a lot lately." He apologized, Hagrid nodded sympathetically, but still looked anticipated. "Did my mother visit you often?" he blurted out.

Hagrid looked taken back by the question, "O' course." Hagrid looked at him concerned.

"Where did she sit?" Ricky asked.

"Well, the house ain't like it used to be, but righ' there." Hagrid pointed to the cushioned bench under the window by the door. "There used to be some chairs, then the hut got partially destroyed an'…well that's another story." Hagrid waved it off.

"What was she like?" Ricky asked, "I know you want an answer, and I'll give one…It's just…"

Hagrid seemed to understand because he shifted into a story telling pose, slightly poised on the edge of his chair and elbows resting on his knees. "When I first met your mother, she was about' this big." Hagrid held up his hand, had Ricky been standing it would have been just under his breastbone. Ricky was surprised at how short she was. "An' your uncle 'arry wasn't much better." Hagrid moved his hand up a little, he then set it back down, "She an' your uncle lived together with a pair of awful muggles." Hagrid looked disgusted, although the look of guilt made it seem as though he was disgusted with himself. Ricky stayed silent and didn't question however.

"I knew righ' when I saw 'er she was a Malfoy. Told 'er she was too. Knew she 'ad to be the Lost Malfoy. She just refused to acknowledge the fac'." Ricky sat for the next twenty minutes as Hagrid gave a short snippet of his mothers finest moments at Hogwarts, all the memories he had of her and his uncles and aunt. He learned on how his mother, aunt and uncles went to a forbidden part of the castle to stop a dark wizard in her first year. In her second year she and her uncles discovered a secret chamber in the castle-Hagrid refused to mention where it was though. Her third year, Hagrid mentioned, was the worst for Phoenix mentally and emotionally.

"Seem your mum an' dad 'ad some sort'a fallin' out before that year." Hagrid said recalling, "Ne'er seen her so upset…" Ricky briefly wondered if it was because of Cyrus Genio. As Hagrid recalled Phoenix's tale, Ricky felt almost as if he were being shown her life through a book. As if he were traveling through life with his mother and father when they were young.

"Did you know anyone named Cyrus Genio?" Ricky asked at the end.

"Well he's up at the feast right now." Hagrid looked confused.

"No, when my mom was younger, did she ever mention him?" He asked, Hagrid shook his head and Ricky frowned. He wasn't sure he liked the idea of not knowing when his mother knew Cyrus. Trying to ease his mind and forget about Cyrus Genio he sat up a bit straighter, "Did you ever think mum and dad would get together?" he gave a small smile as a large grin lit up Hagrid's face.

"When your mum and dad first met, I figur'd your mum would get fed up with his pranks. Well his and his brothers." Hagrid's beam faltered, "Yeah…Fred'd be proud of 'em both. And of you kids." He smiled and ruffled Ricky's hair. He glanced outside, "You should best be getting' back inside." He mentioned. Ricky felt like a nostalgic, painful line had been crossed for Hagrid.

"Can you tell me more another day?" Ricky asked cautiously as he stood up.

"Course." Hagrid nodded and smiled. Ricky thanked him for the tea and answering all his questions before he shuffled up to the castle, head down and frowning. It began to rain on him as he took the last few steps inside, he looked back out sadly at Hagrid's Hut the light still on inside.

"Why'd I have to be named after him?" Ricky thought sadly as he thought of his dead uncle who all he knew of him was his name.

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Ricky hovered over the Quidditch pitch on his broom, watching those trying out for the team gather below. He could just make out his cousins James, Lucy, and Dominique, as well as Neo and his older sister Charity. In the stands he could see Allie waving at him, he smiled and waved back, Minnie, Cli and Minnie's friend Bird were sitting by her. Minnie cheered from the stands, watching Ricky intently. Anna and Beth were also sitting with Allie and the others, they were whispering something to each other and would occasionally look up to see if Ricky had started practice yet. The early October air was nippy, and Ricky was thankful to be wearing captains robes which were thicker than the other Quidditch robes.

Once Ricky was sure no other tryouts were coming to the field, he flew down to hover just above those trying out, "Alright, hi." He began. Dominique slapped James and Lucy upside the heads to get their attentions. Neo was roughhousing with a dark skinned girl-Roxanne Johnson summer had dropped her beaters build and she had gotten very slim. Ricky frowned, most of the tryouts were still roughhousing and laughing.

"Shut up, you crazy bastards!" Charity ordered, it was as if a blanket suffocated the field.

"Thanks." Ricky mouthed, Charity nodded, "Right. I'm going to split you in teams, each team will play to the best of their ability. Beaters keeping the Bludgers off the other players, chasers trying to put the Quaffle in, and seekers keeping an eye out for the snitch-"

"What about keeper?" A second year boy asked.

"I am captain, and I'm the keeper." Ricky answered, a few returning for tryouts chuckled at the question. "Separate on the position you want to play. Beaters, Seekers and Chasers." Ricky pointed to three different spots on the pitch. He tried to keep track of who was trying out for what but quickly gave up. Ricky instructed some people to sit to the side, the first team being the first to practice.

"Alright, everyone give it their best." Ricky wished them all luck as he flew to the keepers post. James was whacking at bludgers, not a single chaser was injured while he flew. His quick reflexes, and tight grip on the bat kept the bludgers back at the edge of the field. Ricky kept his eye on the second year boy who was trying out for seeker. He was busy watching the other players and not keeping an eye out for the snitch. Ricky frowned and absently blocked a Quaffle from an ex teammate Quinn Hester. The dark skinned boy was technically banned from the pitch since he beat the Slytherin seeker last year after a particularly close match. Ricky could hear Hester cursing as he circled back around, Ricky threw the Quaffle back in the air. Neo somehow had gotten the Quaffle and snaked past Ricky, scoring a "goal". Cli, Anna and Beth could be heard cheering in the stands. Ricky shook his head and glanced at the seeker tryout again, the boy was whizzing around after the snitch, but seemed to wobble around tight curves. Ricky frowned. He blocked another Quaffle, this time from Haymitch Smithson.

After watching the first team for another ten minutes, Ricky called them to a stop. So far, only James and Neo had really impressed him. The second group was much quicker, both in thinking and actions, and they were overall better. Dominique tried for seeker and was chasing the snitch before Ricky could even straighten his arm brace. Roxanne, and Charity both got in four goals within the first few minutes, easily communicating with each other and their slower partner who had awful aim. Ricky couldn't remember her name, but he didn't attempt to block her shots which were always under foot and far below the goal hoops. However Charity and Roxanne were both good sports, catching her bad throws and passing the Quaffle back to their partner to give her another shot, along with a few encouraging words. "Good sportsmanship." he thought, remembering Hester's incident last year.

Dominique was suddenly whipping past him, hand out stretched. "Bludger!" Minnie screamed below. A bludger was squelching and hurtling towards Dominique, Ricky gripped his broom already whipping forward to block the blow as much as he could. Lucy reached the hit point before Ricky, everything slowed down and Ricky watched on in amazement. Lucy whipped the bat back and swung forward, whacking the bludger out of the Quidditch field, Dominique closed her hand around the snitch and the two didn't collide though they were a mere breaths away from a crash. Ricky held his broom back in awe as the scene unfolded.

Those that had gathered in the stands to support their friends or family were cheering at the save.

"Charity, Neo, Roxanne, I want you as my chasers." The three congratulated each other, Chairty offered some kind word to her partner with no aim. The other girl didn't seem upset by Ricky's choice and even smiled at him. "James, Lucy, I want you as my beaters." The two grinned at each other. Ricky turned to Dominique, "And, of course, Dom as my seeker." he grinned as she beamed proudly.

He probably looked biased, over half the team was his family, but he couldn't just choose terrible players. He walked out of the stadium, and waited for his friends and sister. "I would say the team is good this year," Allie teased, Ricky felt his heart stagger, "But Slytherin's is pretty good too. Better, even."

"So supportive." Ricky rolled his eyes. Neo hurried out of the stadium, "At least we've all got good sportsmanship."

"You two argue a lot." Bird noted, Minnie giggled, holding her friends hand, she looked at the older students apologetically. "Are you two dating?" Minnie's giggle slowed as she seemed to take Bird under her school cloak and whisper something to her.

Allie huffed, "As if."

"Ouch." Ricky thought with a frown, it felt as though Allie had just stabbed him, shoved him to the floor and stepped on the wound.

"I mean, Ricky and I are just friends." Allie continued in her "Just drop it" tone. It began to mist on the students as they walked back to the castle.

"Yes, well…I'm going to the library, see you lot later." Cli waved his goodbye to the group.

"I'm going back to bed." Neo said proudly.

"Can you help Bird back?" Minnie asked, "I'm going to the Owlery."

"Sure," Neo smiled, "I gotcha, Bird." Neo took Bird's hand gently, Ricky watched as Bird's cheeks darkened and they climbed the stairs. Once Minnie was sure Neo was actually taking Bird to the Gryffindor common room she hurried off towards the Owlery.

Ricky had nothing to say to Allie so he walked back out to Hagrid's after giving her a curt "Goodbye". Ricky ignored the rain as it soaked his clothes.

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"Sorry about the mess of bandages." Professor Smith said as she cleared the gauze off her desk, "Particular nasty spell backfired." Ricky glanced at Anna to see if she knew anything about why her mother would be practicing a dangerous spell. Anna's brown eyes held a thousand yard stare, and Ricky watched her, confused. Professor Smith rolled the sleeves of her school robes down over her bandaged arms, "Right, you've all come a long way in your hydro-kinetic spells. Today will be the last day you'll be practicing them before we move on." She dismissed them to their partners, Ricky watched as Anna dully looked at the tub of water at her feet, and walked over cautiously.

"Hancenmotu hydro." The water at Anna's feet didn't even budge. Ricky looked up from the tub to his partner. Anna was blankly staring at the tub, as if she wasn't sure what she had just tried. "Hancenmotu hydro." She whispered, Ricky paled, he'd seen his mother and father act like this. Slipping back into oneself, hiding.

"Anna?" Ricky stepped around the tub and held her shoulders, "Anna, is everything alright?" Anna didn't look up at him, her eyes looked at something far off, tears spilling over her cheeks. "Anna?" Ricky began to worry, "Anna? Please, look at me." He pleaded. Anna's lower lip trembled and she suddenly dropped, squatting low over the ground, her body as tightly curled up as she could possibly get it. "Anna!" By now Anna's mother was looking over. "Professor!" Ricky looked from Anna's crying, curled up form to Anna's mother.

Professor Smith looked ashamed as she walked over, "Could you please take Anna to your hospital wing?" she requested.

"Professor?" Ricky looked at her shocked, Anna was this woman's daughter, how could she not comfort her? Ricky glared as Smith turned her back, he fought to get Anna to stand. Her entire body was shaking with sobs as he led her back to the castle. "Anna, please, what's wrong?" Ricky asked.

"It's father!" Anna finally choked out once they got to the castle, "He's." Anna made a motion with her hands and suddenly her breathing became furious. "He's a complete asshole!" Ricky nearly tripped in surprise as Anna yanked herself out of his arms. "I cannot believe him! And how dare he accuse mother for this!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Ricky raced after her and grabbed her shoulders, "What happened?" He asked.

"He's been sleeping with another woman! And he wants mother to stayed married to him!" She spat out any word connecting to her father with as much venom she could muster. "And you want to know why? Because he doesn't want her to belong to anyone else! He wants my mother as a back up, go-to-booty call!" Anna wrenched herself from Ricky again, slamming her fists against the stonewalls, however she seemed not to notice this pain. "Mother can't even look at herself anymore she's so ashamed! But she loves father!" Anna broke down crying and slammed her fist weakly on the walls. "And father accuses mother of being the liar when father didn't even tell mother till she found out." Anna whispered.

Ricky watched Anna as she slunk to the ground and curled up on her side. He had no idea how any of this pertained to her behavior earlier, then Anna spoke, "Mother's been through this so many times…I'm scared this time she'll…she'll…" Anna couldn't spill the words.

Ricky blinked confused, then it clicked, "Your mother wasn't practicing spells before we came in…was she?" he asked as gently as he could. Anna looked up at him shocked, but slowly she nodded and curled up even more.

Before Ricky could say another word, a familiar voice echoed down the hallway, "For the last time, Cyrus, leave me alone." Ricky suddenly pushed himself against the wall and pulled Anna over to hide behind the pillars in the wall. Phoenix was storming down the hallway, it seems as though she were caught in a whirlwind.

"You're the one who left before we can work things out." Cyrus noted, walking calmly alongside Phoenix who was seething. Anna stopped crying and relaxed, she looked up at Ricky confused. Ricky couldn't look at her.

"Because you're awful at working things out." Phoenix laughed cruelly, "You want the other person to work things out on their own but if you don't cooperate and at least contribute it's not worth it!" Phoenix sounded as though she were on the verge of having a panic attack.

"I'm sorry," Cyrus said, though he didn't sound sorry. "I wanted to get back together after Kirry left. I felt so alone-"

"You wanted a rebound?" Phoenix demanded, her voice cracking. Ricky felt his heart shaking his entire body, it felt as though it were going to jump right out of his chest. "Look. Cyrus." His mother took a breath, "I trusted you, told you everything, I adored you." Ricky felt as if his world were about to crumble.

"Are mom and dad going to be like Professor Smith and Stacey?" he frowned, Anna seemed to notice his discomfort, she laid a hand on his knee and squeezed it reassuringly. He looked at her, even with her tear stained face she managed to smile to reassure him.

"But," Ricky felt like he was tottering on the edge of chaos, Phoenix stayed silent for the longest seconds in his life, "I do not love you. I do not like you," With each sentence, Ricky felt himself being pulled away from the edge. "I want nothing to do with you!" Phoenix finished, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a class to get back to."

Ricky stood, helping Anna stand as well. He noticed Anna looked suddenly much older than when he first met her. She looked exhausted, as if she'd been too strong for too long, and her reckoned he looked roughly the same. "Come on, let's go get a relax draught from Madam Pomfrey."

"Whatever you say." Anna sighed sadly, "Ricky, I'm so sorry." Ricky said nothing. Anna had no need to apologize, her parents were the embodiment of a teenage heartbreak. His parents were faithful and loving. Just because this Cyrus character was trying to ruin anything meant nothing, because Ricky knew his mother would never let Cyrus back in. Madam Pomfrey excused them from the rest of first block so they could let the potions set in and relax them both.

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**Hey guys, I'm sorry this was put up a week later than I intended…some personal stuff came up but I sprang back pretty quickly…This chapter is literally just a filler so you can see a bit of Quidditch Tryouts.**

**So, Next chapter will be skipping ahead a bit perhaps…Unless there is more of a certain class you would like to see, I dunno. It's kinda up to y'all.**

**Oh! That reminds me!**

**There is a Poll about this story on my profile. If everyone would please go and vote I would be sooooo grateful!**


	6. Quidditch Match

"Glad to see everyone had a good weekend," Cyrus said to the class, Ricky avoided looking at his sad brown eyes.

He still hadn't figured out how Cyrus knew his mother, "If he gets any closer to mum," Ricky let that thought trail off, "I have to stop him." He didn't know if Minnie knew, he didn't know if he should write to his father, he didn't know anything. Added onto the stress of helping Anna and Beth cope with their parents acting like thirteen year olds, Ricky was having a hard time keeping his emotions in check. On more than one occasion he'd sent sparks through his finger tips when he touched another person. Ricky blamed it on the colder weather approaching, "all the static and humidity, you know?" he'd told Anna when he had accidentally shocked her.

Ricky constantly felt sick, he couldn't go to his mother, she had enough to worry about with this Cyrus guy trailing after her like a lost dog. He refused to go to Madam Pomfrey, she always made a comment on how much like his mother he was whenever he went to the hospital wing. In the past month alone, Ricky had been in the room of requirement more times than he could count. The calm room Allie had shown him had become a sanctuary, he let all his pent up emotions out in the room, sometimes leaving the room soaking wet, sometimes leaving with his hair sticking up at odd angles.

"This isn't good for you, you know?" Neo whispered next to him, flipping through the Healer's book slowly.

"What isn't?" Ricky whispered back, looking at the dummy that laid on their table face-up.

"Bottling it all up, obviously if your mum doesn't talk about him, he's not important." Neo said nodding his head towards Cyrus.

"But he's trying to be." Ricky grumbled stubbornly, a Malfoy scowl twisting his pale lips downward. Ricky let Neo do most of the work, both of them agreeing that burning their dummy to a crisp would probably result in a low grade.

"You go on," Ricky said at the end of the class period, "I'll catch up."

"You sure?" Neo asked, "You've been skipping meals a lot lately."

Ricky wanted to tell him he'd been helping Anna and Beth, he wanted to tell Neo that he was doing all he could to keep everyone from falling apart, he wanted to tell him that everything would be okay. But Ricky just nodded and watched as Neo ran out to catch up with Beth.

"Mr. Weasley?" Cyrus asked shocked, "Is there any reason you're not going to supper?" he asked gently.

Ricky packed up his bag slowly, "I had a question." He said, not looking up at him. His heart was drumming in his throat. Taking a shaky breath, Ricky only briefly noted the frost that clung in the air as he exhaled.

"Well," Cyrus seemed weary, "I'm here to help."

Ricky nodded, he wondered if he should ask right out what he wanted from his mother, as he slipped his bag on his shoulder he raised his head to look at Cyrus, "How is it you know my mother?" he asked gently. So much for planning. Ricky kept one hand on his bag strap, clenching the fabric tightly.

Cyrus's sad brown eyes suddenly hardened, he frowned, his lower lip trembling, "What are you talking about?" he asked, playing oblivious.

"I've heard you both talking," Ricky said carefully, trying to not let his anger stir up the wind outside, "In the hallways." He blinked rapidly, trying to ignore the pain around his eyes.  
Cyrus nodded, he turned on his heel and walked back to his desk, "And has your mother ever mentioned me?" he inquired, he sounded as though he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

"No." Ricky answered honestly, he jumped back when Cyrus slammed his fist onto his desk.

"So all you know about us is from what you've overheard." Cyrus was speaking more to himself than to Ricky. Cyrus sighed and walked around to his chair, he slumped down and buried his head in his hands. Ricky didn't say a word as Cyrus chewed on his bottom lip. "I was," Cyrus paused, he sighed and leaned back, tossing his head onto the back on his chair, "Romantically involved," he said carefully, "with your mother when we were younger, much younger." Ricky wasn't sure what to expect, he had to have figured such, but still the thought being confirmed was suffocating. He stayed silent though, afraid that if he talked Cyrus would not tell him anymore.

"Romantically involved?" Ricky choked out.

"Your mother," Cyrus sighed and closed his eyes, "We met in Egypt. She was with your father and his family on vacation," Cyrus spat out as though he were choking on something venomous, "I had taken a liking to her, she was quiet, sweet," Cyrus took a breath and sighed as though he were in a happy thought, his eyes remained closed,

"Beautiful, even for being four years younger." Ricky was thankful Cyrus's eyes were closed, Ricky's body heaved as though he were going to be sick.

Cyrus continued on, "And she took a liking to me." Ricky felt like he were going to be sick, silently he gripped a desk and hunched over, his body heaving with dry bile. He refused to believe what he was hearing. "For the time she spent there we were entranced with each other." Cyrus sighed dreamily, "Then, she had to leave." His voice grew sad, Ricky took a few deep breaths, "I met a woman my age, she told me I was dangerous. She said I had no right to ruin a young girls life like I had with Phoenix. She eventually convinced me to cut it off with Phoenix, the worst mistake I could have possibly made." Cyrus sighed and opened his eyes, Ricky stood up again, the feeling of nausea passing. "I married her, and when my daughter was born, she realized I would only ever love Phoenix."

"Shut up." Ricky wanted to shout, instead the tingling feeling of electricity stirred in his body. His focus from early was draining, the wind picking up outside as the pain behind Ricky's eyes increased.

"My wife left, and I was alone with my daughter. I tried finding Phoenix Malfoy, but no one knew a Phoenix Malfoy." Cyrus gave a sad laughed, "Turned out for a while now she'd been Phoenix Weasley, and she had little ones of her own running around."

Ricky held up a hand to stop Cyrus from talking, "Stop, stop." Ricky felt a heave and turned tail, running out of the health classroom. He ran to the Gryffindor common room, ignoring the feast in the Great Hall as he ran up the stairs. What was he expecting when he asked Cyrus about his mother? All those dodgy meetings in the hallways, and how frightened his mother was, Cyrus was trying to ruin his family.

Ricky ran his fingers through his hair, kicking his bed in the dormitory. The other boys were still at supper, he could throw a fit if he pleased. But Ricky only threw his body down on his bed hard enough he was surprised the ancient wood didn't succumb to his fit. Drawing the curtains around his bed, he clawed at his head, dying to let his emotions out but fearing the outcome.

The following morning, Ricky barely registered Neo waking him. "You alright? You missed supper yesterday. Allie was worried."

Ricky felt a twinge of guilt, but realized he shouldn't and shook his bed head out, "Just, wasn't hungry." And he didn't have an appetite as he sat up and looked around the barely lit dormitory.

Neo must have noticed the stress on his brow because he hesitated tying his tie, "Did something happen last night?" he asked, Ricky glanced up at him wearily, "Natalia wasn't at supper either," Neo turned to a small bedside mirror to straighten his tie, "We all just kind of figured," Neo trailed off. Ricky didn't want to hear anything about Natalia Brand, he threw the covers off him and slouched to his trunk. "Look, you can tell me if something happened, you know that," Neo tried to comfort him.

"In all honesty, Neo, you're way off the mark on this one." Ricky snapped.

"Oh." Neo sounded a little hurt at Ricky's sharp tone. Ricky hung his head, his shoulders tense, "Well, if you do every need to talk, you know where to find me." And with that, Neo threw on his cloak and left. Ricky sighed sadly, he hadn't meant to snap at Neo, and after getting dressed he made his way out to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Classes began to wear on Ricky as October slipped by. Ricky and Anna kept an eye on Professor Smith, and Ricky was busy looking up to see if there were any long distance support groups for people between countries. Phoenix was busy teaching simple transfiguration spells, but her essays on their usefulness were wearing down on the Hogwarts and foreign students. Endurance was murder on Ricky and Neo, they were wobbly kneed and energy deprived by the time they made it to Quidditch practice after supper. Allie and the Imperatrix bonded day by day, and she was spending most of her time researching the foreign creatures as their professor ushered the class onto another creature called a Gwarthzi. Cyrus was making Health class unbearably uncomfortable, pointing out nearly everything Ricky did, and occasionally making snide remarks about his father. He hadn't expected the Health teacher to stoop to such a low, considering all he had done was ask him about his mother.  
November brought several surprises, George Weasley showing up for a "surprise" inspection of the Hogsmeade location, Mr. Stacey taking a temporary leave, Allie being able to train the Imperatrix she'd befriended on their first day, and a rivalry between Phoenix Genio and Ricky Weasley blossoming. Among the surprises was an announcement in the Gryffindors common room that all fourth years and above had to meet in an unused classroom the eighteenth of November.

"But that's the day before our game against Slytherin." Neo protested to Phoenix, "It'll be our last chance to practice."

"Irrelevant." Phoenix had told the boys, "That day, every head of house and school will be making an announcement, it will only take an hour, and it will be before lunch."  
Ricky wanted to roll his eyes, "Then why can't it be made at lunch?"

"I am not discussing this with you two," Phoenix sighed, "You two and the whole Quidditch team better be there or there weren't be a match."

"But, professor," Neo wanted to argue, but Phoenix simply held up a hand, signaling that if he talked again he would get a detention.

So on the eighteenth of November, Neo and Ricky dragged themselves to the unused classroom with the rest of the Gryffindors fourth year and up. Phoenix separated the boys from the girls upon entering, she waited till everyone was in and then walked to the middle of the room.

Ricky watched as slowly the students quieted down, "As you all should know," his mother started, "We are having a winter ball." the girls instantly began to whisper, "Every student fourth year and above is requested to attend." His mother got an infectious smile on her face, "It will take place Sunday, December twenty-fourth, starting from seven that night to midnight. Now as tradition, when a ball is held at Hogwarts the name of Gryffindor is on the line and I want you each to put your best foot forward." A few boys snickered, but Ricky was bouncing to get to the pitch and practice, sitting in a stuffy room was not how he wanted to spend his Saturday. "Which is why from here on till the ball, every other day will have a time allotted between last class and supper to come practice dancing."

"You've got to be kidding me." Neo whispered to Ricky as the boys groaned, "We've already got enough on our plates as it is." Ricky nodded sympathetically, but he was too in his own thoughts to answer.

"Mr. Selwyn, perhaps you would like to volunteer as the first pair, and demonstrate to the boys how it's done?" Phoenix asked teasingly. A knowing smirk on her face, Ricky relaxed slightly to see his mother wasn't so frightened.

"No ma'am, I'm fine." Neo insisted.

"Oh please," Phoenix insisted, "Miss Weasley needs a practice partner, don't you Dominique?" Ricky glanced across the room to his cousin who had gone as scarlet as her hair. Dominique's lips dropped to a scowl as she marched to the center of the room and Neo trudged up as slowly as he could.

"Now, Mr. Selwyn, place your right hand on Miss Weasley's waist." Phoenix instructed.

"With all due respect ma'am, I'd rather take my chances in a dragon pen." Neo almost whimpered. Dominique let out something resembling a growl as her aunt pushed them together and positioned their hands just so. Someone let out a wolf whistle and Neo turned to show his favorite finger till Phoenix stopped him distractedly and pushed him even closer to Dominique.

Ricky had to admit, watching his best mate and cousin flustered and stiff around each other when on the pitch their so carefree and joking made him want to laugh. However, he held back on the hysterics as his mother was now pairing up people.

Later that night after a long, hard Quidditch practice, Neo and Ricky slouched over their golden plates tiredly. Cli joined them asking how practice went to which both boys replied with tired groans. "You shouldn't push yourselves too hard, what with Endurance being a class this year and all." Cli pointed out, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "Professor Genio says too much endurance can strain-"

"I really don't care what "professor Genio" has to say." Ricky spat out, taking a sip of water from his goblet. Ricky glanced around for Anna and Beth, only to find them down the table by Dominique who looked just as tired as Neo and Ricky.

"So," Allie appeared from seemingly nowhere, "who are you three going to the ball with?" She asked as she slid down the bench at the Gryffindor table to sit next to Cli. "I heard Neo had a wonderful afternoon with Dominique." Allie gave a sly grin.

"Piss off." Neo stuffed a roll into his mouth.

"As it were," Cli ignored his brothers rude attitude, "I am attending the ball with Beth." He smiled.

"You should go with Anna." Ricky nudged Neo who only shoveled more food into his mouth, his already pink cheeks staining an even darker hue.

"Twin on twin action, cute." Allie grinned mischievously.

"If it will get you three off my backs." Neo grumped.

"What about you?" Allie asked Ricky. Ricky became interested in the roast beef on his plate as he pretended to think on answering Allie. In reality he had planned to ask Allie to go-as friends! But he couldn't help but remember their close call in the Room of Requirement nearly a month ago. What if he had actually kissed her? Ricky glanced through his shaggy hair at Allie who was looking at him interestingly, picking out a few things from the Gryffindor table to eat.

"I haven't given much thought into going." He finally answered indifferently.

"Oh?" Allie asked, Cli and Neo shared a look, "Why's that? Aren't you supposed to go or something?"

"Don't really want to go with anyone." Ricky wanted to know if she was going, and if so with who? Secretly he hoped she said no one so he could suggest going as friends.

"Too bad," Allie grinned, "Seeing my boys all dressed up would have been funny," Allie laughed to herself, "But if there's nothing in it for me, I won't be going."

"It's a great chance to hear another cultures music and," Cli began to ramble till Allie stuffed a spoonful of pudding into his mouth.

"Put a cork in it, bookworm." Allie teased, she smiled coyly, "As it is, Ricky." Ricky looked back up at her, "I heard your dad was in Hogsmeade, apparently he's staying till the ball."

"Where'd you hear that?" Ricky asked.

"My mom was in Hogsmeade visiting a friend and she stopped to talk to your dad." Allie suggested as though she was mentioning the weather. "And daddy dearest insists on you going." Allie pulled a letter out of her sweater making Cli and Neo overdramatically shield their eyes. Allie rolled her jeweled eyes and handed the letter to Ricky. He took the folded slip of parchment, it still warm from being tucked against Allie's heart.  
He skimmed over the familiarities of the letter taking note of the quotes at the bottom, "Mr. Weasley asks you tell his son he expects him to be at the ball. Says he wants to talk and that letters would not cut it."

"Why not write a letter explaining that himself?" Allie asked no one in particular, "But there you have it." Ricky frowned as supper ended and he shuffled to Gryffindor tower with Neo and Bird, the blind little girl had recently taken to following the older boys to breakfast in the morning and back to the common room after supper. Once they had gotten the little girl to the common room she wished them luck on their Quidditch game the following day, and carefully made her way up to her dormitory.

Ricky fought sleep that night. Thoughts of Cyrus and his daughter swirling in his head. No wonder Phoenix Genio hated him, his father was always pinning after a girl, probably comparing his daughter to Ricky's mother. Then finding out this great woman her father loved was married to some other guy, it was a miracle the young Phoenix didn't explode from anger.

He wasn't sympathizing with her anytime soon though, she was still proud and rude. Acting as though the world should bow to her, Ricky could have rolled his eyes to oblivion at the thought. However, he couldn't help but frown, thinking of his own slightly similar situation. Looking like the Uncle he was named after but never met, occasionally getting the far off look from his father or the trembling frown from his mother. "She doesn't deserve my sympathy though," Ricky rolled over in his bed and closed his eyes forcing out thoughts of Phoenix Genio.

A dreamless, yet fitful night left Ricky dark eyed and slumped as he looked at his breakfast blearily. "Com'on Ricky," Roxanne bumped his arm with her shoulder. She was trying to lift the spirits of the team as the cloudy sky left overcast expressions on them. "You need your strength for today," She glanced at the rest of the team, "All of you." she added. Ricky glanced across the hall at the Slytherin table. Marcus Stonebridge and his team were huddled around the table, glancing at the Gryffindors occasionally.

"I'm going to the pitch early." Ricky pushed away from the table, "I need some air." As he left his team behind he could almost feel the air suffocating him.

"Ricky!" Ricky opened his stormy eyes, he looked around then he looked down, his sister beamed up at him. "Good luck today!" she smiled.

"Not to sound mean," Ricky coughed out something between a scoff and a laugh, "But shouldn't you wish your house good luck?"

Minnie scowled, "They're a bunch of butts." Ricky blinked pleasantly surprised. "Besides, you're my brother." Minnie hugged him and Ricky wrapped his arms around her instinctively. "I hope you win today." She mumbled into his chest.

Ricky smiled and pulled away from her, "Thanks, Minnie." Ricky patted her head and gave her cheeks a quick pinch before be stepped around her and walked out of the Great Hall. Ricky practically ran to the changing rooms at the stadium, glancing around he noticed he was completely alone. Everyone was still up at the castle, which gave Ricky the perfect opportunity to clear his mind. He made quick work of getting his Quidditch robes on, going to the broom closet, Ricky pulled out the Firebolt Supreme his uncle had bought him for his first Quidditch game.

He was thirteen, Destiny Wood, Quidditch Captain at the time, had told him the previous year that if he worked hard and practiced he could easily make the team the next year. He'd taken her advice to heart and practiced all summer on his father's old Cleansweep 5 at his grandparents house. His mother had never been fond of flying, but his father claimed he was a natural.

"Not a beater, that's for sure, but a natural." George had thumped Ricky on the back after an apple Teddy and him had bewitched to fly around like bludgers whacked Ricky off his broom.

"He could be injured, you remember what happened to Harry third year?" Phoenix asked, one arm hugging herself, the other placed worriedly on her cheek. "And how can you say he's a natural if he fell off his broom?"

"Because he got back up, Aunt Nix," Teddy reasoned, "If you can't get up after a simply knock on the noggin by an apple-" Teddy trailed off as Phoenix didn't seem to be relaxing any by their words.

"Mum, I'm fine. Honestly." Ricky had reasoned. He was more than fine, he felt great. After school started, Ricky was the first to sign up for Quidditch tryouts. He had blocked every Quaffle thrown at him, Destiny was impressed.

"Take my advice, did you?" She asked after announcing him as the new Keeper. Ricky had been on cloud nine that night, he quickly woke Violet in the owlery and sent a letter back home to his parents, hoping his parents would be proud. It took a week before any response came, but when it did, Violet made a big show of crying around the Great Hall before dropping off his broom shaped gift.

Ricky ran his gloved hand over the slightly worn handle of the Firebolt Supreme, his father and uncles were all so proud of him, even his Uncle Draco had sent a letter explaining how proud he was. Ricky smiled fondly remembering the letters clearly as though he were reading them again. Putting his broom down made the memories and warmth fade. Ricky wandered down the short hallway leading to the pitch. He opened the door to the overcast sky and empty stadium.

Walking to the middle of the pitch, Ricky took a few deep breaths. Each breath becoming more panicked and deeper till finally Ricky let out a scream of frustration. The whirlwind from his pent up rage blew dead leaves and dirt every which way, watching the chaos around him, Ricky felt a rush of adrenaline. Before he realized it, he was calming down, dropping to his knees Ricky hung his head wanting to do nothing more than drop of into slumber.

An echoed breath of fear caught his attention and Ricky glanced up at the stands. Phoenix Genio sat looking down at him horrified. Ricky's heart twisted at the sight of her wide, scared, eyes. His mouth moved to make an excuse, she wasn't there earlier, how long had she been there? "Phoenix," He moved to stand.

"Stay down!" Phoenix screamed, whipping her wand out of her coat, the leftover wind from his anger blowing her silky hair around.

"Phoenix, please, let me explain." Ricky tried to reason, "Explain what?" he asked himself, "That I'm a freak? That I have unnatural powers that cause me to space out and become emotionless?" Phoenix began to back towards the stairs in one of the towers to leave.

"Just stay away from me!" Phoenix ran, her wand still clutched in her hand.

"Phoenix!" Ricky ran after her, he couldn't afford her telling anyone, especially his mother or her father. Luckily for him he knew the stadium inside and out. Running to the tower she had ran to, Ricky pulled the Slytherin colored flap open and caught Phoenix as she jumped down the final steps and was beginning to turn to go to the castle. Phoenix screamed as Ricky pressed her against one of the support beams.

"Just let me explain!" Ricky pleaded over her screams for help.

"Someone! Help!" Phoenix screamed, she tried to raise her wand to him, but he grabbed her wrist, easily pinning it above her head. "Get off me, you freak!"

The words were hurtful, he knew he was a freak, but Phoenix Genio had no right to call him that. For a few slow moments, Ricky took in Phoenix's appearance. Her chocolate covered eyes were caught somewhere between looking at him in wide eyed fear, and clenching them shut in fear. Her hair was blown every which way, he now knew that to be his fault. Pushing further against her he snapped, "Sit still and just listen to me, you brat!"  
Phoenix snapped her mouth shut and looked up at him fearfully. "What all did you see?" he demanded.

"You went pazzo, scendere! Aiuto! Papa! Someone!" Phoenix began to scream again.

"Genio!" Ricky gripped her wrist tighter, Phoenix cried out and dropped her wand. "What did you see!?" He was beginning to get angry again, students would be piling down in less than twenty minutes and the last thing he wanted was to be seen with Phoenix.

"You're a Weather Wizard! Now let me go!" Phoenix fought against him consequentially pushing them closer together after giving Ricky a kick to the knee. He was now leaning over her, their hips pushed together and his shoulders encasing her. Phoenix gave out something between a whimper and a groan. Ricky looked down at her, his adrenaline from earlier running low. He took notice of how close they were and how hot the area seemed to become, Phoenix must have noticed too because she looked anywhere but at him.

"Why do you spend so much caring what I think?" Phoenix demanded, looking up at him through her dark bangs. She was struggling to catch her breath and Ricky could almost feel her heartbeat through her coat and his uniform. He looked over her face, and she looked over his.

Briefly, Ricky wondered what she thought of their closeness. Then, scowling, Ricky snipped, "Don't tell anyone what you saw."

"Why shouldn't I?" Phoenix demanded.  
Ricky let out something resembling a growl as he tightened the grip on Phoenix's wrist, she let out a small cry,

"Don't. Tell. Anyone." He repeated. Ricky glanced out the open door to the path leading back to the castle, he spotted the first of students coming down and released Phoenix, "If you tell anyone, I will hear about it, and if you thought that out there was scary-"

"I get it!" Phoenix snapped picking up her wand, "Just stay away from me, and we'll be fine." She turned on her heel and walked out of the tower back towards the castle. Ricky hurried back out to the pitch and to the changing room where the rest of the team was sitting.

"Ricky, where've you been?" Neo asked standing up.

"We saw the wind storm," Dominique said, looking over Ricky carefully, "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Ricky nodded, "I'd just gone out to look at the pitch." he lied. He grabbed his broom, "Everyone remember the play?" he asked. No one said anything as they grabbed their brooms, "We stick to it as best as we can, we all know how the Slytherin's play." They began walking back to the pitch, "Dominique," His cousin looked at him, her bright red hair was pulled out of her face, and her dark blue eyes looked determined at him. "Find the Snitch as quickly as you can. James and Lucy are going to keep the Bludgers going at Terrio as long as they can." Dominique nodded.

The roar of the schools greeted Ricky, looking up at the towers, Ricky spotted a familiar set of platinum blonde hair and fiery red hair. "Mount your brooms." Madam Hooch instructed. The ancient Flying teacher stayed rooted on the ground as she watched both teams fly up and around the stadium before getting into positions. Ricky glanced at his parents while Hooch gave her "clean match" speech. Mikey was seated between their mother and father, he cheered and waved at Ricky. However, before he could wave back, Hooch whistled once, signaling him and Stonebridge to their posts. Ricky took off, his broom flying as smoothly and clean as they day he first flew her.

"The Snitch is out," the announcer spoke, "Bludgers released, Quaffle up, and the game begins!" Immediately Slytherin had the Quaffle, Grimm was flying at him, ball tucked in his arm. Grimm reared back on his broom, black hair swirling around his gaunt face as he hurled the Quaffle at him. "Slytherin throws!"  
Ricky saw the Quaffle headed towards the middle goal, he quickly readied his body, arm crossed over his chest. The ball was within touching distance, throwing his arm out he knocked the Quaffle away. Gryffindor cheered below,

"And a quick block by Keeper, Weasley!" Neo had been circling below him and snatched up the Quaffle as it fell to the earth below. "Sneaky catch made by Selwyn," Ricky glanced at Dominique who was hunched low on her broom as she surveyed the pitch and sky. Looking down the pitch, Ricky caught James giving a good whack to a bludger, sending it flying towards Terrio who was circling the pitch looking for the Snitch.

"Potter sends bludger at Terrio who easily dodges." The announcer said. "Selwyn passes to Johnson, Johnson passes it to the Selwyn Sister but it's intercepted by Powell!" Slytherin cheered. Powell sped back towards the goals. "Powell's going for the goal-ooh!" Ricky winced as a rogue bludger whacked Powell's broom and sent the other boy in a downward spiral, and knocking the Quaffle from his arms.

"Sister Selwyn has the Quaffle, she's going for the goal. She's going. She's going! Ah," Ricky scowled as Marcus Stonebridge swung low to block the goal. "Blocked by Stonebridge."

"Johnson has the Quaffle, Grimm and Graham following closely behind. Powell's back up in the air." Ricky watched as Roxanne circled low over the pitch, she made a one-eighty turn quickly, quick enough that as Grimm and Graham tried to follow they nearly lost control of their brooms.

"Yes!" Ricky cheered as Roxanne headed back towards the goal.

"Johnson going for the goal!" The announcer cheered, "She's makes it past Stonebridge! Ten points for Gryffindor!" Red and gold eagerly flashed below as the crowd cheered. "What's this?" Ricky looked back on the field, trying to see what the announcer saw, "Terrio seems to be chasing something! Could this be the snitch? So early in the game?" Ricky tried to call Dominique off, knowing full well it was probably a trap, but Dominique was already speeding off on her broom after Terrio. This distraction nearly cost a point as Ricky just saw the Quaffle flying through the air towards the lowest goal. Ricky swung his broom low, gripping the handle his hung from his broom. He brought his knees to his chest and kicked against the Quaffle sending it flying.

"An impressive block by Weasley!" Ricky hooked his legs around his broom and pulled himself upright. As soon as he had righted himself however he heard a crack from his right.

"Stamper hit's a bludger headed for teammate Graham, and it-" Ricky suddenly felt the bludger whack the right side of his head. His broom rocked under him and his hands slipped from the handle. The pad on his right ankle ripped and got caught on his crossbars. Ricky could only dully note the collective groans and gasps from the crowd as he screamed out in pain. It felt as if his foot had just been violently ripped off his body.

"Terrio pulls out of a dive, Weasley follows. It was a trick, naughty Slytherin's!" Ricky tuned out the announcer. He curled up, his abdomen burning as he tried to grab onto his broom and pull himself back up. His ankle screamed in protest at the weight and his broom dropped in altitude.

"Hooch is looking between Stonebridge and Weasley for a time out." The announcer's voice echoed.

"No!" Ricky screamed over his shoulder. "Go on!" The game continued. "Grimm's trying again while Keeper Weasley is down." Ricky twisted his body one way, then the other, trying to find the skeletal looking boy. He was going for the upper goal. Ricky let his body swing limp till Grimm reeled his arm back. Throwing his body up and over his broom as if he were pole vaulting over it, Ricky hit the Quaffle away. However as his body fell and hung limp again, Ricky heard a snap and screamed as his body twisted over his broom. However, he had managed to grab onto the end of his broom, his arm getting caught on the other crossbar. The broom dropped again, Ricky pulled himself up and untwisted himself, his right leg looked as though he'd sent it through a meat grinder. Gritting his teeth he called out, "Roxanne! Over here!" Roxanne abandoned chasing Trainor off the bludgers and flew over. "Any scores?" He asked.

"We're up by two." Roxanne answered, "How's your leg?"

He ignored her, "Tell Dominique anytime now would be great."

"Beaters Stamper and Trainor tag teaming, look at the speed on that bludger!" The announcer called, "Johnson and the Selwyn's better be careful with those buggers in the air." Roxanne flew off as Ricky shook off the pain in his leg. He let it hang limp, leaving him perched precariously on his broom, only one leg and his hands holding him upright.

"Seeker Weasley is diving low on the pitch, does she see something?" Ricky couldn't afford to glance at his cousin as he spun his broom around to block another goal. Powell, Grimm, and Graham weren't letting up this game. "Yes! Dominique Weasley has caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!" Ricky let the crowd cheer, his broom descended till he was a few feet from the pitch and he collapsed off his broom, it falling down inanimate next to him. He looked dully at the sky as it grew darker and darker.

Ricky blinked weakly as he was laid down on a bed in the hospital wing.

"Ricky!" his mother was kneeling over him immediately, "Oh my word," she helped him sit up, "What happened up there?" she demanded. Ricky glanced at the foot of his bed, his father was standing there, and Mikey was sitting in the chair by his bed.

"I'm fine." Ricky insisted.

"You broke your ankle." George said simply, nudging Ricky's broken ankle with his hand. Ricky bit his tongue to keep foul words from spilling out of his mouth. "Phoenix, relax." George reassured his wife.

"Phoenix, Mr. Weasley, is Ricky alright?" Headmistress McGonagall hurrying into the Hospital wing. "Broken ankle." Phoenix answered for Ricky.

"I'm fine, really." Ricky looked up at McGonagall. Cyrus, and Madam Pomfrey were also gathered around him. Neo, Cli, Allie, Phoenix Genio, Anna, and Beth were standing behind George awkwardly, Minnie stood next to George, clinging tightly to his arm.

Cyrus kneeled by his right side, Ricky instinctively leaned closer to his mother on his left, "Broken ankle," he looked at Ricky's foot, he gently reached over and began to undo the straps to his brace that had caught on his crossbars when George grabbed the other mans wrists.

"Don't touch him, Genio." Cyrus didn't look up at George. Ricky could see a vein in Cyrus's neck stick out as he took a breath.

"I'm trying to help your son." He finally snapped his head up to glare at George.

"Madam Pomfrey is all the help he needs." George hissed, Cyrus stood up, yanking his hands from George. Ricky paled, his father may have had a few inches on Cyrus, but his lanky build looked incredibly weak against the foreign man.

"I could easily fix his leg up right here, right now." Cyrus snapped.

"He doesn't even know you-"

"Mister Weasley, I assure you, Cyrus is very much capable of helping Ricky." Madam Pomfrey tried to assure George.

"Ricky." Ricky focused back on his mother, who's cool hands were on his cheeks and jaw. "Your eye, dear." Phoenix didn't look at Madam Pomfrey or Cyrus, "What's it mean when his pupils are dilated differently?"

"He has a concussion." The arguing between adult settled down. Phoenix looked at the end of the bed at Phoenix Genio.

"Phoenix?" Cyrus asked gently. Phoenix Genio shifted uncomfortably under her fathers gaze.

"She asked why his pupils were dilated differently…" she waved at him, "He's got a concussion."

"Y-yes." Cyrus nodded, "That's correct." Phoenix Genio walked over and kneeled down where her father was just kneeling.

No one said a word as Phoenix Genio undid the straps to his ankle brace, George didn't stop her, Cyrus didn't say a word, Madam Pomfrey didn't shoo anyone away. "Bruising," she motioned to the darkening skin around his ankle,

"Most likely from when you flipped over your broom." Phoenix Genio stood up and circled around to his other side, kneeling next to Phoenix, "Does your arm hurt?" she asked gently.

This Phoenix Genio was much different than the one he was pressed against an hour ago by the stairs. He coughed to clear his throat, "I-no."

"Can I check it?" she asked, her cheeks stained a dark color-it reminded Ricky of raspberry tea- "I just…want to see if it bruised when you caught yourself on the broom-"

"Crossbars." Ricky corrected, he looked around at everyone else, not sure how he felt about taking off his uniform in front of everyone.

"Alright, everyone but family and the Genio's out." Madam Pomfrey shoo'd everyone out of the Hospital wing leaving him, his parents, his siblings, and Cyrus and Phoenix Genio left.

Cyrus assisted Madam Pomfrey in pulling over a privacy screen, Ricky helped his mother and Phoenix take off his Quidditch robes, and his sweater. "You pulled your shoulder landing like that." Phoenix Genio gently touched the his swelled and bruised shoulder. He hissed half in pain and shock at her cold fingers on his skin, a shiver running down his spin and a shock running from his skin to her fingers. Phoenix Genio pulled her fingers back quickly and his mother gave them both an odd look.

"What should we do to remedy that?" Cyrus asked. Phoenix Genio nearly jumped out of her skin, "Uhm, Madam Pomfrey should have some "Bon-E-Z-Fix around here, that's fix his ankle, a sling and some time should heal the pulled shoulder and bruising. And," Phoenix Genio looked as if she were reciting lines, "Some sleep and a cautious step should handle the concussion."

"Here," Madam Pomfrey handed him a glass of something. Phoenix stepped back and stood by George, looking at Phoenix Genio and Cyrus fearfully. "Drink." Ricky put the glass to his lips and threw his head back. It felt like the world was throwing him around and he nearly spat out the drink Madam Pomfrey gave him, the vertigo and taste making him feel sick. He clenched his eyes shut and puckered his mouth, he knew the longer the drink sat in his mouth the worse it would get but he didn't want the vile drink in the rest of his body.

"You have to swallow it to get better." Cyrus said, "As it were there are a few simple spells to help put his shoulder back in place and send the bruising and swelling down-Phoenix pay attention." Ricky swallowed and looked through squinted eyes at Phoenix who stood at attention to her father. "Now," Cyrus waited, it felt as if the drink was swimming up and down in his body till his ankle began to tingle. A loud crack resonating in the hospital wing and Ricky grabbed at his leg in pain, his mouth open in a silent scream. He barely registered Cyrus tapping his leg and shoulder with his wand and his body felt as though it was being picked apart and put back together.

Ricky had to spend the night in the hospital wing, his brother and sister had both given him long hugs hoping he'd get well soon. His father had messed up his hair and said he was proud of him for gritting his teeth and pushing through to the end of the game. His mother had scolded him for pushing through to the end, but she was relieved he was okay. Phoenix Genio apologized after everyone else had left.

"I'm sorry for calling you a freak." she took the chair next to his bed, due to his healing arm both Madam Pomfrey and Cyrus recommended he not worry about putting his sweater back on. Phoenix was looking at everything but him, she played with her hands, looking at her lap. "I was…scared…"

"A lot of people are when they meet a…" Ricky bit his tongue, "someone like me." he looked at his feet.

"Well," Phoenix sighed, "I'm sorry." Ricky said nothing, "For everything." He looked at her, she was looking at him.

"Treating you like dragon dung, calling you a freak…I'm sorry."

"I get why you did though." Ricky explained. Phoenix looked at him her chocolate eyes shining with tears.

"That doesn't excuse my behavior." Phoenix sighed, "I just…I was always told I was named after some foreign beauty, and that's why my parents split…and…then to learn the woman my dad loves is actually married to someone else and she long forgot about dad…and the fact that you're her son and I shouldn't even," Phoenix sighed, "I'm sorry."

The two sat in silence, Ricky wondered what she was going to say before she apologized again. He thought back to earlier how she seemed to react when their body were flushed against each other. Ricky kept his eyes on his lap as he thought before he looked at Phoenix when she sighed and stood up, "Hope you feel better by tomorrow." she nodded to herself, "You should." She added.

Ricky grabbed her hand before she could leave, he wanted to tell her it was okay, and that no matter what she was feeling it was okay for her to feel that way. He worried she might not have understood though, that she'd think he was pitying her. He tugged a little at her hand, and her body seemed to move on its own accord as her face was brought to level with his. Raising his other hand to cup her face, Ricky pushed every protesting emotion to the back of his head as he looked into Phoenix's eyes. He wasn't going to push this onto her, he wasn't going to do this to show pity. He saw how she was around her father, always the student, never the daughter. And she felt bad for feeling…something…for him. Her eyes looked fiery as he tried to calm her, he wanted her to know it was okay to be herself around him, that no matter what she was feeling it would never be her fault. He put all his effort into pulling her emotions to his. His hand slipped from her cheek to the nape of her neck, and she shivered as his fingers tangled in her soft hair. He gently pressed her forward till their foreheads were pressed together. Her emotions were like a frightened cat, dodging any attempt at being picked up and stroked. However he had more experience in pushing and pulling emotions and he quickly calmed his confused emotions and wrapped them around her. Phoenix's eyes were closed as the calm relief washed over her, Ricky closed his eyes seeing the tangled fog of their emotions washing over them.

"I shouldn't feel this way for you," Phoenix whispered, he kept his eyes closed, "I should hate you." He couldn't put into words how she shouldn't worry, how it was okay for her to feel that way. Instead his emotions, glowing red and warming them, pushed him to sit up and tilt Phoenix's head down, pressing his lips to hers.

* * *

**I did not mean to write that much. But okay so I started this as soon as I left off at the last chapter but I had no idea where to go between introductions and the first School Fair event (The ball) and I just blaaah. I wrote one chapter, but I didn't like where it ended so I scraped half of it and then I wrote this and I like it but ugh I just don't know.**

**Who should Ricky be with? I know who he will be with in the end but not everyone can have a "perfect" relationship like George and Phoenix.**

**So don't forget to vote on the poll and comment and like and blah blah thanks!**


	7. Truth

"Do your parents know?" Anna asked the following morning when she sat down across from Ricky and Neo.

"Know what?" Ricky asked, lowering his forkful of eggs. His shoulder was killing him, and he'd walked down to the Great Hall with a limp. Neo looked between the two curiously.

"Don't play dumb, Ricky." Anna seemed giddy in her news, "I saw you out on the stairs with-"

"No, they don't know." Ricky realized what she was going on about, and quickly shut her up.

That morning, Ricky had woken alone after falling asleep holding Phoenix's hand. He had cornered her at the stairs outside the Great Hall and pulled her into a little known crevice his father had told him about. He had intended to ask if she was upset with him, but had been greeted with a fist to his face. "Damn it, Ricky, what was that for?" Phoenix demanded as she shook her wrist out. "Do you enjoy pinning me against things?" She demanded harshly.

Ricky rubbed his nose, pushing it left and right to make sure it wasn't broken, "I've heard it makes good habit. Gets people closer." Phoenix didn't appreciate the humor, she scoffed and crossed her arms, one hip jutting to the side as she shifted her weight. "Merlin's beard, you got me hard didn't you?" He asked no one in particular.

"Well next time a little warning may suffice, idiot." Phoenix's slight Italian accent slipped through as she gave out another annoyed huff. "What do you want?" she demanded.

"I was going to ask if you were alright, but I see the answer now." Ricky scoffed.

"Oh please, if I had really wanted to hurt you I would have given you and uppercut." Phoenix rolled her eyes, but she raised her hands to cup his cheeks and run her thumbs under his eyes and down his nose. "No bruising, no black eyes, you'll be fine." she said, "So stop acting as though you're doomed to have a crooked nose." They stayed that way for a while, her hands on his face, their bodies close together. Phoenix seemed to snap out of their trance first, "What did you really want?" she asked.

"Just wanted to know what we are?" Ricky questioned, a few early morning stragglers were shuffling around, a few foreign kids were wandering about aimlessly as if unsure where to go though they've been in school for three months now.

"What do you mean, "we"?" Phoenix asked, her chocolate eyes squinted in confusion.

""We" as in me and you?" Ricky asked, he kept his hands free incase she tried to slip past him. He wouldn't put it past her.

"There isn't really a me and you," She said after a short pause, "Ricky, we kissed, you were doing your emotion voodoo magic," her accent became thicker as she struggled for the words, "And uh," she trailed off, her words almost completely incomprehensible. Ricky couldn't help but let out a short laugh, Phoenix glared up at him, her cheeks blooming the raspberry tea color. "Uh," Phoenix sighed, she looked up at him through her thick eyelashes, "Perché sei così carino?" she whispered. He hadn't noticed he was once again pressed to her, she was squeezed between him and the back of the crevice.

Ricky pulled himself out of his thoughts as Anna snapped her fingers in his face, he gave her a Malfoy scowl. "What?"

"Well?" Anna asked, "Are you two official?" Ricky glanced over her shoulder at the Slytherin table, Allie was leaning on the shoulder of one of her dorm mates and Phoenix sat awkwardly by herself farther down the table.

"I guess?" Ricky shrugged. He had cornered and kissed Phoenix again, having to reassure he didn't pity her for her feelings. Though who he was reassuring he wasn't sure.

"Then what do you feel?" she had asked.

Ricky looked down at her. Her lips, now a healthy rosy color, were pulled up in a pout. She was beautiful, Ricky may not have initially liked her, but he would have to have been a fool to think she wasn't beautiful. Her smooth caramel skin, chocolate eyes, curly black hair, everything about her was beautiful. She was smart too, a bit cocky at times, but Ricky was no saint. "Awe." He had finally breathed, he wanted to take her small, rosy lips with his again. It had apparently worked as she pulled him down to her level, her hands worked their way to his hair and her middle fingers tangled and kept him locked on her-not that he was complaining. Especially when Natalia Brand had caught his eye when he and Phoenix left the crevice.

Ricky glanced at the Ravenclaw table now, Natalia and Cli were discussing something with the other members of the Ravenclaw team, he recognized Geoffrey Finn, the guy who sent him to the hospital wing after his first game, and Mariana Diamond, who was a year ahead of him.

"What do you mean "you guess"?" Neo asked, "You're either with her or you're not?"

"I don't know!" Ricky admitted, shrugging his shoulders.

"Fred Rick." Ricky tensed up, Anna and Neo's eyes were wide and they quickly turned their bodies over the bench.

"See you in class, Ricky." Anna called, taking Neo's hand. Neo turned a shade of red that would put the Weasley blush to shame. Ricky slowly relaxed his body as he turned to look up at his exhausted mother.

"May I have a word, Fred Rick?" She asked.  
Ricky swallowed the rock in his throat, his mother rarely used his first name, and the impassive Malfoy look she was giving him was never used on her kids. "Yeah." He stayed rooted to the bench.

"In my office." His mother ordered. Ricky could feel a heat creep up on his neck and cheeks as he turned to stand up.

"I'm going to be late-," He tried to reason with his mother.

"Irrelevant, I can write a pass and my first class is first years, no harm." His mother pressed her hand to the small of his back to keep him marching. He could be eye level with his mother if he stood up straight, but instead he slouched through the hall next to her. He glanced at her, for once she didn't seem frightened, in fact she seemed beyond pissed. Phoenix's office was rather plain, a few animals here and there, stacks of papers needed to be graded and returned, a stray picture of friends and family over there and on top of this and that. Four large orbs circled around the room, each seemed to be opaque at first but Ricky then noticed they looked like giant versions of Weather in a Bottle that his father had discontinued years ago. In the largest orb was nothing, but heat seemed to radiate from the orb, Ricky wondered if his mother ever held the orb when she appeared cold and shivering. In the second largest a mini hurricane seemed to be spinning the orb crazily as the others drifted peacefully around it. In the third and fourth was a seeming never ending falling of snow.

"Sit." Phoenix ordered. Ricky did as he was told, taking his eyes off the orbs. He'd never seen them before, and he'd been in his mothers office plenty of times. "Did you think I didn't know about the crevice?" she asked, going around to her chair, but not sitting down, she gripped the back and kept her back to him.

"How fast does news spread in this school?" he wanted to ask. Instead he answered, "What?"

"Your father told you about every nook and cranny in this school," Phoenix answered her own question, "So did you honestly think it would be easy to hide?" Phoenix sighed, her shoulders sagged slightly and the largest orb brushed just out of reach. Phoenix placed a hand on it, letting it pass by her palm. "When your father was your age," Phoenix sat down, "He pulled me into that exact crevice." Ricky could have gagged, him making out in the same spot his parents had made out. "Out of all the girls in this school, why Phoenix Genio?" she finally asked.

"What do you mean, "why her"?" Ricky demanded.

"Ricky," His mother sighed sadly, sitting up straighter, "You know you will probably never see her again after this year, right?"

"Okay, that doesn't mean I can't make the most of the time I do have with her." Ricky argued, crossing his arms.

His mother looked at him as though he'd suggested cutting off his arm, "Fred Rick Lucius Weasley." Phoenix took a deep breath, "You cannot use a girl like that."

"How am I using her?" Ricky demanded.

"You're going to be involved with her till the end of the year where you'll just end all contact with her," Phoenix growled at him, "Am I right?" she demanded.

Ricky seethed, he could feel fire pulsing in his veins, "Just because you and Cyrus made stupid mistakes-"

"Do not compare this to me and him!" Phoenix shouted.

"Just because you and Cyrus made stupid mistakes doesn't mean we will!" Ricky repeated. "What if I really like this girl, mum?" Ricky demanded. "What if she's "the one"?" He demanded, standing up.

"Oh please, you hardly ever meet "the one" at school-" Phoenix scoffed, sitting back in her chair trying to remain calm.

"You and dad." Ricky argued, "Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione." he looked at her unblinking.

"That is different." Phoenix shook her head and stood up, "Do you even know anything about the girl?"

"I know her dad hates her." Ricky snarled, the fire was becoming unbearable, he had to get out of there quickly otherwise he was sure his mother would find out.

"Cyrus does not hate his daughter-"

"Yeah, because she reminds him of everything he could have had with you!" Ricky wanted to sew his mouth shut.

"How do you know that?" Phoenix demanded, "How do you know anything of me and Cyrus?"

"I know Phoenix hates you because you're the one that broke her fathers heart and the one she's always compared to!" Ricky shouted, the bell for class rang. He was late, and if he kept up his yelling her first years would hear some things best kept secret.

"Fred Rick-" Phoenix warned, the hurricane orb now wobbling slightly on it's calm orbit.

"I know she needs someone to tell her it's okay. That she doesn't have to fear her father!" Ricky shouted.

"So you're trying to play hero now is that it?" Phoenix asked calmly. Ricky squinted at the breeze that blew in from the window, his mothers normally neat braid was blown about.

"No!" Ricky shouted.

"Then what is it?" Phoenix demanded calmly, "What are you trying to do?"

"I don't know!" Ricky finally admitted. The hurricane orb exploded and with it's shatter his mother collapsed. Ricky was three years old again, watching his mothers eyes roll back as she collapsed on the kitchen floor back home. His fingers and toes growing uncomfortably cold as his mother sat slumped in the chair. He had to call for help, he couldn't move.

Luckily, he didn't need to call for help. Neville was knocking on the office door and entering, "Nix, I've got a question on transfiguring rabbit hide gloves to dragon hide-" Ricky didn't have to look back to see Neville's look of shock. "Nix!" Neville ran over to the chair, turning it away from the desk so he could kneel in front of Phoenix. "Nix! Can you hear me?" Neville checked her pulse, her eyes, patted her cheeks a few times, "Nix!" Neville looked around wildly.

"Ricky, what happened?" he demanded gently.

"I'm not sure." Ricky admitted weakly. She'd been fine up till the orb exploded. "Oh God, did a shard of glass hit her?" Ricky tried to peer around the desk to look for blood, but instead he spotted the other orbs. When the hurricane orb had exploded the others had dropped from their orbit as well. Ricky expected them to have shattered as well, but they were laying dormant on the floor. "Professor, what are those orbs?" Ricky asked.

Neville didn't have to look to see what he was talking about, "Now is not that time for that, Ricky. Go and get Madam Pomfrey, tell her your mother's fainted." Neville instructed, "Then go tell McGonagall we'll need a substitute professor for the day."

"Shouldn't we take mum to her?"

"And let her students see?" Neville asked harshly, Ricky flinched. The fire he had felt in his veins had solidified and Ricky felt as though he were going to be sick.

* * *

"Finally did it, did you?" Ricky looked up from the hospital wing floor, "Finally broke your mother." George walked over, Minnie and Mikey weren't with him, Ricky didn't question where they were. He wanted to tell his father he hadn't meant to. Ricky figured all his anger had caused pressure to build up and break the orb in his mothers office.

"But then how did the others break?" He'd been asking himself that all evening.

"Mikey is having supper with Hagrid and the others." George answered his unasked question. "They've all been told that she had a fit, something went wrong in her office and she got hurt."

"Yeah, I went wrong." Ricky sighed dejectedly.

"Well they don't know that bit." George clapped him on the shoulder gently.

"They can figure it out." Ricky sighed, George tweaked his ear. Ricky grumbled, knowing his father didn't want to hear him moping.

"So," George sat on the edge of the bed, his knees knocking into Ricky's, "What brought it on?" he asked, his hand unconsciously slipping to Phoenix's. Ricky watched as his father subconsciously stroked his mother's knuckles with his thumb.

"Genio." He answered shortly.

"Ah, the exotic lady." George smirked, "Can't say I didn't see it coming." Ricky quirked an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, did my time with-"

"I don't want to hear." Ricky shook his head, his cheeks heated till he thought he could fry an egg on his face. He buried his head in his hands, but he couldn't help but laugh at his father. He glanced up and saw a victorious smirk on his father's face.

"You sure?" George asked with a chuckle, "She was a Mexican beauty, actually I'm pretty sure her daughter is here-"

"Oh my God, Dad, shut up." Ricky wanted to shout and cover his fathers mouth. George laughed.

"But, seriously." George chuckled, "Weasley men have a thing for frustrating girls."

"Aunt Audrey isn't frustrating, and neither is Aunt Fleur." Ricky pointed out.

"Yeah, well Percy and Bill aren't normal." George shrugged, making Ricky laugh.

"And does that mean you think Grandma is frustrating?" Ricky asked smirking coyly.

"Never heard that from me." George smirked back. The two shared a laugh and slowly calmed down, "You shouldn't be upset for what you did. Not with Phoenix Genio, not with the orb exploding, not with your mother fainting."

"What were those anyways?" Ricky asked, "The orbs?"

George frowned and looked at Phoenix, Ricky noticed his stroking hadn't stopped or slowed. He looked between his parents, what was it like to be in love? How did they know they were "the one" for each other? Ricky looked at his father, George's brown eyes were half lidded, looking at Phoenix. "But not quite." It seemed more like George was looking in Phoenix, in her soul, her very being. As though they were the only two people in the entirety of everything. "How do you look at her like that?" He wanted to ask, "How can you?"

"The orbs were something we came up with together." George finally answered, "And it should be something we explain to you together."

"If mum ever wakes up." Ricky sighed, suddenly feeling dejected.

"When she wakes up." George corrected. "She always does."

Ricky frowned, "How often has she done this?" Ricky asked, "I only remembered the one time before Minnie was born."

"A few times." George admitted. Ricky groaned, his parents never actually answered his questions. At least not how he wanted them to. Ricky glanced at his parents hands, George's stroking didn't cease.

He frowned, how did they know they were in love? "Didn't they get engaged during a war? How can anyone be sure they're making the right choice in war?" He asked himself. Phoenix's thumb moved to catch George's. Both boys looked at her, Phoenix's brow furrowed and she scowled painfully.

"Little Bird?" George turned his body to face Phoenix, knocking knees with Ricky as he did so.

"Mum?" Ricky called.

"How long have I been out?" Phoenix asked not opening her eyes.

"Couple hours." George lifted the hand he'd been stroking and kissed the knuckles, "Missed the whole school day." Keeping her eyes closed, Phoenix pulled her hand from George's so she could run her hand through his hair.

"Ricky?" Phoenix asked.

George looked at him, "I'm here." Ricky answered weakly, his heart was beating rapidly in his chest.

"Are you hurt?" She asked, her familiar steel eyes fluttered open. Ricky shook his head, his mother absentmindedly ran her hand through George's hair, down his cheek, across his chin. He snapped his eyes back to her.

"I think it's time we told him." George whispered, his mother's thumb traced the corner of his lips.

"I know." Phoenix sighed, she pushed herself up, "I know."

"Told me? Tell me what?" Ricky asked, "About the orbs?"

"Do you know," His mother started, she motioned for him to sit on the bit of bed next to his father so when she sat up they were both sitting next to him, "about Weather Wizards?" she asked. Ricky had started to sit down when she'd whispered her last words, he jumped up as though she'd set him on fire.

"What?" Ricky demanded.

"Settle down," George grabbed Ricky's wrist, he wanted to pull away, but knew that fighting against his father would be futile, "relax."

"Relax?" Ricky asked, "Weather Wizards are hunted." He began to panic, his father released him as a flash of static sparked between them, "They're freaks." He quoted Phoenix Genio, "They're not natural. They can tip the balance-"

"In favor of good or evil." Phoenix finished.

Ricky paused, "Yeah." he said carefully, "I mean that's just rumored. There haven't been any public Weather Wizards since Merlin and Morgana and-"

"And me." Phoenix said gently, "And Draco, and you, and possibly your sister, brother, and cousin Scorpius."

Ricky's head swirled, "What?" George stayed silent through the ordeal.

"We are Weather Wizards." Phoenix said as calmly as possible.

"We?" Ricky asked. "How come you never told me?!" He demanded.

"What?" George asked, "Just at breakfast, "Son, you have the possibility of being a great force of good or evil and just so happen to be part of a magical breed that is hunted and killed for no real good reason, pass the salt?" Do you know what kind of effect that would have had on you?" George asked.

"You were young when we learned. Minnie had just been born, my powers were already all over the place-" Phoenix tired to reason.

"Because of him." Ricky nodded to his father.

"Do not try to pin the blame on him!" Phoenix ordered, "We decided it would be better if we waited to tell you for when me and your uncle could help you-"

"Help me?" Ricky began to shout, "Help me-" Ricky could barely get his words out as his mothers glared matched his own. It felt as though he'd been kicked in the gut, he nearly doubled over trying to gasp for air.

"If you are not careful, anyone like us can manipulate your emotions. Something me and Draco learned the hard way." Phoenix scolded as though she were back in her classroom with a bunch of rambunctious teenagers.

Ricky glared at his parents, "This whole time," he could feel his mothers emotions, a cool grey mist that pulsed red, he pushed it away from his own hot red emotions, "You let me believe I was a freak!" His mothers eyes widened slightly, "You let me think I was a curse!"

"Ricky." George warned.

"You left me alone!" Ricky accused, he shoved his mothers emotions back into her space, his fathers emotions were strained between his own hot emotions and his mothers wounded emotions. Without another word he turned and stormed out the hospital wing. He wasn't alone, he should have been thankful. But his parents let him believe he was alone in the world. They let him believe he was a freak, and they knew all along! Ricky grabbed a corner, he peeked around, tears burning the corner of his eyes. He was being unfair. He should have been overjoyed that he wasn't alone, that he wasn't cursed by some higher being.

But he had been so alone.

* * *

**So I was stuck for a couple weeks on what to do when it sort of stumbled upon me and I just started typing and A lot of crazy rushing happens this chapter I know...but honestly...that's life...one moment you are carefree, happy, then something happens and you're curled up wondering if you should cry or scream or both.**

**Soooo more on Weather Wizards and the Foreigners Ball coming up I suppose**

**Don't forget to vote on the poll and comment and like and blah blah thanks!**


	8. Learning

"So how's your mom doing?" Phoenix asked, walking to Hogsmeade with Ricky. The winter in Britain was harsher than she'd expected so she shivered against the light flurry of snow that fell while Ricky walked alongside her perfectly fine.

"Fine." Ricky answered shortly.

Silence settled on the two and they could hear his friends laughing and joking about something ahead of them. "I know why you're upset." Phoenix finally sighed. Ricky said nothing, though in spite he made a harsh wind sweep her hood off. Phoenix cursed slightly under her breath and pulled it back up, giving him a glare, "But if you'd grown up thinking that what makes you different makes you hunted you would have never enjoyed childhood like you did."

"What makes you say I did?" Ricky demanded.

"You grew up with the world's funniest dad." Phoenix sighed as she explained.

"He's not all smiles and giggles." Ricky snapped.

"Regardless, if you grew up afraid to touch people and go out in the world would you ever touch your sister or brother? Would you be on the Quidditch team?" Phoenix reasoned. "You knew your own abilities even if you never touched on them." Ricky said nothing, "You knew your own limits without even practicing."

"Which is why my powers short circuited my moms." Ricky grumbled.

"Would you stop being a downer and just realize your parents did what they thought would be best for you?" Phoenix slapped his upper arm.

"I would if they hadn't made me feel like I was cursed." Ricky sighed.

"They never meant for you to feel that way." Phoenix argued.

"Yeah, well they did." Ricky wrung his hands in his coat pockets. Phoenix groaned and muttered something about maturity till Ricky swept his hair aside, and the wind knocked her off her feet. "Sorry." He mumbled, helping her out of the snow.

"No, it's fine." Phoenix brushed herself off and walked ahead of him, Ricky watched as she pulled Anna away from the group. Ricky hurried up as Anna and Phoenix walked away.

"What was that about?" Beth asked. Ricky just shrugged and walked past them, "So what are you boys planning on doing in Hogsmeade?" she asked.

"Three broomsticks?" Neo answered confused, "Why?"

"Well," Cli answered, "Anna and Beth's mother is taking them, Allie, and Phoenix dress shopping for the ball."

"And Cli is going to have to deal with us," Allie smirked, though it didn't quite reach her eyes like it should have, "because his tux and Beth's dress have to match."

"I'm not dealing with you." Cli rolled his eyes, "I chose to come with you ladies." Allie hummed in response and rolled her eyes. Ricky watched her curiously as she walked silently, and as far from him as possible.

"So it's just going to be me and Ricky?" Neo asked.

"Looks like." Cli nodded as Beth began to drag him off, "No being stupid." Ricky continued on knowing Neo would trudge after him.

"Want to stop by your uncle's shop and buy something?" Neo shuffled next to him.

"Not right now. Butterbeer first." Ricky held the door to the Three Broomsticks open for Neo. Neo scurried in with Ricky on his tail, the two shook out the snow flurries that followed them and looked around the crowded space.

"I hate the snow." Neo shook the flurries out of his blonde hair, "Couldn't you have done something?"

"Yeah I could have." Ricky grinned, the two threw their coats off at a table, barely able to pull their chairs out in the crowded space. "It's more fun to see you all shiver."

"You know she probably doesn't give two," Neo closed his mouth as Victoire and Dominique walked over.

"Hey, Ricky." Victoire ruffled his hair, Ricky sent small shocks to her finger tips. "Yikes, you're full of static." Victoire pulled her hand back. Neo bit his lip to keep from laughing as Ricky smirked.

"Maybe Phoenix is right." He thought bitterly, however, he kept a smile on his face.

"Anyways, we were about to go see uncle Ron," Dominique spoke up, "care to join?"

"Butterbeer first for grouch here." Neo nodded across the table to Ricky.

"Where's your little crew at anyways?" Dominique asked, bumping Neo's shoulder with her hip, indicating she wanted to sit.

"Dresses." Neo answered bitterly, "For that stupid ball." He scooted over, allowing her to sit by him.

"I thought Allie wasn't going?" Dominique questioned, Neo and Ricky shared a look and shrugged.

"You boys are so stupid." Victoire flicked her hair over her shoulder, she gave Ricky a small shove. With a huff he scooted over allowing his cousin in the booth.

"I resent that statement." Neo accusingly pointed a finger at Victoire, Dominique laughed and Victoire rolled her eyes.

"What'll be?" Rosmerta asked, walking up to their tables, hands on her curvy waist.

"Two butterbeers, one cup of tea with honey, and a hot chocolate." Victoire ordered for the group.

"You'd think after so long she'd retire." Dominique settled back in the booth.

"Money is money." Neo shrugged.

"Maybe she enjoys what she does." Ricky crossed his arms on the table.

"Maybe she knows it's safe here." Victoire crossed her arms and legs.

The other three raised an eyebrow at her curiously, "What do you mean by that?" Ricky asked curiously.

"What haven't you heard?" Victoire asked.

"Obviously not." Neo mumbled.

"Apparently there's been a bit of a stirring in the magical community." Victoire leaned forward as if telling a secret.

"Out with it." Dominique urged.

"Well, apparently some halflings, part human-part vampire, have been upset with the Ministry." Victoire explained, no one said anything and shifted in uncomfortable shock as Rosmerta returned with their drinks. Victoire smiled pleasantly and thanked her.

"Why though?" Neo asked after a gulp of his Butterbeer.

"Well, one of them apparently tried to get a job in the ministry. They had all the qualifications, everything," Victoire stirred her honey tea. "However, the Under-Secretary didn't even interview them. Just sent them out."

"What?" Neo asked shocked.

"Well," Victoire took a dainty sip of her tea, "More like threw them out. I'm surprised you didn't hear, it was all over the Daily Prophet." She took another sip and waved her hand about, "Anyways, because of this, the vampire parent of said halfling decided to take it out on several wizards in Diagon Alley because of that non-discrimination act passed who knows how long ago."

"Mum wouldn't like that," Ricky sipped his Butterbeer, "You forgetting your defense history." The other three laughed as Victoire rolled her eyes.

"It's not just here." Victoire grumbled, "It's everywhere apparently. In America, did you know werewolves and vampires aren't even allowed to vote in their so-called "democracy"?"

"That's barmy." Neo scoffed, finishing off his Butterbeer.

"Well that's America." Dominique argued, "Brazil recently passed an act that allowed vampires and werewolves to transform their consensual partners." her hot chocolate sat half finished in her hands.

"Ridiculous." Neo shook his head.

Dominique slapped his arm, Neo looked at her shocked, "Their ministry is trying to allow vampires and werewolves partners a near equal life span." She looked across the table looking for defense, Ricky shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to get into politics.

"It's so they don't have more halflings on their hands. If they have one mate their less likely to reproduce as often." Victoire informed her sister.

"Ew, enough of vampire and werewolf offspring." Ricky shook his head, finishing off his Butterbeer. "So a couple of vampire clans have their knickers in a twist, why would it be so dangerous just to take a little vacations?"

"You want to get bit?" Victoire asked.

That seemed to settle the matter, "I still resent your boys are stupid comment." Neo said, Ricky was thankful the awkward moment had passed as Victoire and Dominique pointed out the several ways guys were stupid. After paying for their drinks and tugging on their coats, hats, and scarves, the group of four moved across the road to the Weasley's shop.

Inside was warm, not only from the heat of bodies and several fire places, but the colors, the emotions. Ricky felt his head go fuzzy as they bombarded him. "Hey kids." Ron waved at the four, turning away from a customer puking in a cauldron.

"Hey uncle Ron." the Weasley children called.

"Hey Mr. Weasley." Neo politely nodded.

"Uncle Ron," Victoire called, the other three followed the eldest over to Ron, "Are you and Aunt Mione going to be at the ball?"

"McGonagall invited us." Ron sighed uncomfortably, "I'm not one for balls." The four followed him through the store, "Except for these ones." He tossed a pair of unstoppable bouncy balls over his shoulders.

"Is dad coming?" Ricky asked.

"He's up in the office," Ron nodded up the stairs, "Why not go ask him?" Ricky shifted uncomfortably, he hadn't spoken to his father since he'd stormed out of the Hospital Wing a few days ago.

"I don't wanna bother him." Ricky stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Bother him?" Ron laughed, plucking an item off the shelf to inspect it, "He loves when you kids bother him." When Ricky didn't laugh with him or comment back Ron glanced at him. Nodding to himself, Ron awkwardly put the item back, "As it is, he says he'll be there." By then Dominique, Neo, and Victoire had wandered off.

"Did you know too?" Ricky asked. Ron licked his lips and avoided Ricky's eyes, "You did." Ricky sighed and ran his hands through his hair. His well kept secret was no more than a well known fact.

"To be honest, I knew what signs to look for. I did practically grow up with your mother." Ron tried to joke.

"Who else in the family knows?" Ricky practically begged for an answer.

"Your mum's parents, your parents, your uncle Harry, me and your Aunt Mione, Sirius, the staff at Hogwarts," Ricky's heart dropped to his knees, "Draco, and his family."

"Uncle Draco knows? Grandfather and Grandmother know? Hogwarts knows?" Ricky wanted to throw up.

"Well," Ron shifted awkwardly, "The gene runs in that side of your family."

"Grandfather and Grandmother are," Ricky glanced around and motioned to himself.

"No." George said, walking past Ron and standing beside the two. "The gene that runs between Draco and your mother was dormant till they were born." Ron nodded a goodbye before leaving to greet a couple of customers who'd walked in. George nodded to the office door, Ricky sighed and stomped up the stairs to the office.

"How do you know it was dormant and that Grandfather and Grandmother aren't just really good at hiding it?" Ricky asked once George had closed the door.

"Your mother loves history," George sighed walking around the crafting table in the middle of the scatterbrained office, "Once she had the resources," George sighed as he sat in a chair and propped his feet up on the table, "she traced back her family tree. Armand Malfoy, the first of her family to live in Britain didn't marry until he had Malfoy Manor. He'd been living there sometime, still assisting the king, when a witch was brought to the court. You know how ancient muggles were with witches. But Armand fancied her." George rolled his eyes, "You can imagine how romantic their conversation must have been. "Come with me to hide forever in my manor from the king or burn at the stake, by the way I'm a wizard."." George sighed. "The Malfoy's have a thing for dramatics."

Ricky raised an eyebrow. "So that woman?" he asked.

"Was a weather witch." George nodded. "Armand's daughter was a weather witch. Her youngest was, his twins were, but after that," George trailed off and tossed a broken fanged frisbee and whistled as it fell, making an explosion sound as it collided with the floor.

"Years of being a dormant gene, I think it got a bit antsy. Especially in you." George pointed at Ricky.

Ricky opened his mouth to ask why all of Hogwarts needed to know when George held up a hand.

"When you started attending Hogwarts we agreed to tell the staff what powers you possessed so if anything ever got out of hand and anyone was put in danger, including you, the crises could easily be fixed without wondering how the powers came about." George explained, "Phoenix and Draco were the same way. So most of the staff expected it with you. Some were even happy the trait ran on to you."

"Wait," Ricky shook his head, "So does Scorpius have this ability?"

"Your mother's keeping an eye on him." George answered.

"What about Minnie? And Mikey?" Ricky asked.

"Also being watched. Though I'm not sure Hagrid knows what to look for in a weather wizard." George sighed. "Hopefully Michael won't show signs between now and the ball."

"So you are going?" Ricky asked.

"Yes." George nodded. "And your mother, and Michael."

Ricky wanted to slam his head on the table, so much for spending the night with friends and pretending the ball wasn't some excuse to bring the nations closer together.

November grew colder still and December leapt upon Hogwarts so suddenly, hardly anyone was prepared for the cold assault. Class work was increasingly difficult, and getting to class was another struggle altogether.

Shuffling to the heated aquarium dome of Deeth Bitter's classroom was painstakingly troublesome, and several kids talked about heading back to the castle and skipping. However, the reward of being in the heated dome was worth the walk.

"Alright, now this way, come on you lot, up to the scaffolding." Bitter called the students up. Ricky and Neo shared a curious look as they climbed the metal, clanging steps, "Today we're going to be feeding a Kraken."

"A what?" a Slytherin boy asked.

"A kraken!" Bitter's eyes gleamed giddily.

"This isn't going to be like feeding the Sirens is it?" Allie spoke up remembering how a few weeks back the Sirens had all but nearly drowned several boys.

"No no," Bitter shook his head, "No miss Allie, the Kraken cares not for humans. They live in deep waters and feed off of the flesh of anything rotted."

"Then why do they attack ships?" Neo asked jokingly.

"Those, what you're thinking of, are real giant squids that can grow to 46 feet with 900 foot tentacles, and weighing 400 tons." Bitter explained his hands behind his back, "No. Krakens very rarely leave the dark ocean floor. This one I have is only about 100 years old, still fairly young according to kraken age, however it was captured and brought to the surface by a group of muggles. Our ministry confiscated it, wiped some memories, and it was sent to a safe haven for attacked sea creatures." Bitter turned behind him and pulled a lever, the tubs lining the wall behind the scaffolding were filled with a chum like substance. "And about five years ago, I was put in charge of its care." Bitter said proudly.

"Does it know we're here?" a Mediterranean boy asked. Ricky noticed several girls took a few cautionary steps away from the pool.

"We'll see." Bitter grinned as he slammed his hand on the outside of the metal pool containing dark water. A few tentacles as wide as a human body, and seemingly infinitely longer rose from the water. Then a turtle like head rose from the water, its eyes wide and white and beak-like mouth opening and closing dryly.

"What's wrong with its eyes?" Phoenix asked.

"Remember how I said muggles brought it up, and how krakens actually never leave the dark ocean?" Bitter said bitterly, grabbing a handful of chum and tossing it in the water, the kraken flinched but lowered its tentacles to swim towards the sinking chum. "When they brought it up, the light blinded it."

Ricky could hear several girls whisper about how sad it seemed. "And yet moments ago you were scared of it?" he thought dryly. They spent the lesson gently tossing food to the kraken and talking about the creature. To Ricky it reminded him of a numbingly dumb turtle, "Aside from the tentacles." he thought. He glanced at Phoenix who seemed to be purposefully ignoring him. Allie glanced over Phoenix's shoulder, Ricky glanced at Phoenix and Allie frowned and glanced at the hourglass suspended in the dome classroom. Ricky sighed and shifted, watching Neo squirm as he picked up chum to throw at the kraken.

After a long, cold, windy trek back up to the castle, Ricky was in no mood to see Cyrus and go to Health Class. "You want to skip?" Allie asked, her dark hair plastered to her head from the trip to the castle.

"Yeah." Ricky admitted. Allie lead the way to the Room of Requirement and Ricky was thankful when the calming room appeared on the other side of the door. "you've got to tell me what you think to get in here." he mumbled, dropping his bag beside hers. This time there was a roaring fireplace on the other side of the room.

"Like I said," Allie yanked off her robes and wrung out her hair, "I use this room to get away from you boys."

Suddenly it felt as though a fog had been lifted, "Is that why whenever we all go somewhere as a group you run off? You come here?" Ricky asked.

Allie didn't answer, which was enough of an answer for him. "What do you think of Phoenix?" she asked quietly.

Ricky looked away from the starry ceiling, "She's misunderstood. She thinks she's guilty of her name and emotions."

"I meant." Allie looked in the fire, "never mind." she sighed.

Ricky nodded to himself, "I'm not sure I like her like that," he admitted, "I like her, yeah. But, she seems more like a friend." Allie seemed to visibly relax.

"Then this makes this a little easier." Allie mumbled, "Stonebridge asked her to the ball."

Ricky paused, part of him seemed relieved. He wasn't sure he wanted to explain to his parents and her father why they were showing up at the ball together. "Good for him."

"Phoenix didn't want to tell you because of your powers." Allie admitted, walking over, she laid on the pillows and looked up at him. "Said she'd feel bad. Said she also wanted to prove to her father that she wasn't like him and could "move on."."

"Move on? We weren't even anything to begin with?" Ricky questioned.

"Her words, not mine." Phoenix shrugged as best as she could. "She also mentioned something about your ego being bigger than the whole of Hogwarts."

"Wow." Was all Ricky could manage.

"Yeah." Allie breathed.

"Life is weird." Ricky said after a moment of silence.

"Maybe it's just you." Allie admitted. Ricky said nothing, "Why would you be all over her if you didn't like her."

"Mum was right." was all Ricky could say, Allie didn't ask what he'd meant by that and he was thankful.

Although Ricky felt glad Phoenix wasn't too attached to him as she originally thought, he also felt guilty for having to admit to himself that his mother was right.

Winter break was coming up in just a little over a week, and December grew colder.

With one week till the next Quidditch Game and the ball, everyone seemed antsy. Of course, being on the same side as his parents now, Ricky was able to get his emotions off his chest without blowing something up. He'd spent his free block down at the lake practicing keeping his emotions from being destructive.

"Most weather wizards have the same basic workings." His mother had explained that afternoon, "Happy means warm. Sad means wet. Angry means harsh. Fear means cold." He'd gone from electrocuting himself out of fear and annoyance, to simply causing a thunderstorm to form overhead. Of course, that made him and his mother run back inside before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Other weather wizards can control you too, you know?" His mother asked.

Ricky looked up from his supper, "Really?" since talking to George, Ricky had begged for Phoenix to teach him, usually resulting in the two eating a late supper in her office.

Phoenix nodded, "Draco used to be stronger than me. He could easily manipulate my emotions." she didn't seem bothered by this fact.

"What?" Ricky set his goblet down, "You're kidding me."

Phoenix laughed gently and shook her head, "I'm not. But we found," Phoenix looked around the edge of her office and chewed on her lip, "equal ground." she finally said. "But," she chirped on a brighter note, "you don't have a twin, so you don't have to worry about that," she paused, "hopefully."

Ricky laughed and found himself enjoying himself without worrying about blowing something up. "I'm just glad this seems to be helping mum too." Ricky thought, eating his supper.

"What made you talk to George about all this though?" Phoenix asked.

Ricky thought, "Well. I was actually just asking uncle Ron who all knew about this," he said, "Then I asked how we could have gotten these powers and dad just kinda spilled everything." Phoenix nodded thoughtfully. Shifting uncomfortably, Ricky looked at his plate, "Gryffindor's going to win against Ravenclaw next week."

"A very brash statement to make. Isn't Cli on the team?" Ricky nodded, "Shouldn't you be supportive of him?"

"Not on the Quidditch field." Ricky laughed.

"You're your fathers boy alright." Phoenix smiled.

"Dad and Mikey'll be there, right?" Ricky asked, Phoenix nodded, "Good. Mikey needs to see what I can do when I don't have a broken ankle." Phoenix continued to laugh, warming the room. Ricky continued to make his mother laugh, telling joke after joke.

"You should be getting back to the common room," Phoenix yawned, "You've got a busy week ahead of you."

"Which is why you shouldn't assign homework." Ricky joked, "Night mum."

"Night Ricky." Phoenix watched him go and settled back into her office.

* * *

Phoenix was undoubtedly the youngest teacher at Hogwarts. At 37, she was young, kind, and clever. First years feared her, seventh years respected her. With other fairly young teachers in the school, Phoenix felt surprisingly more at ease.

"Sometimes I'm not sure the kids are getting it." Savannah explained one evening in the Teachers Lounge. "But when I ask I see them visibly shrink like, "No, please, I understand, don't judge me." and I just," Savannah sighed.

"Want to help?" Phoenix offered.

"Exactly." Savannah sighed, running her hand through her hair as a house elf silently refilled her goblet with firewhiskey again before disappearing.

Savannah was quickly becoming a friend, with how many times Phoenix walked in on the red head sobbing her eyes out before classes, it wasn't hard to like the poor girl.

"Sometimes I wonder if teaching is what I really want to do." Savannah admitted after a swig of firewhiskey.

"Really?" Phoenix was gingerly sipping her own drink.

"At the time it seemed practical…seemed like the only way to get my dad off my back." Savannah admitted. "Headmaster, Principal," Savannah let out a hiccupped laugh and excused herself. "When he found out about the twins, he was furious."

"Well," Phoenix had no comment, but wanted the girl to know she'd been paying attention. "What happened exactly?" she asked.

Savannah let out a huffy laugh, "Will couldn't keep it to himself. Well," She took another swig, "He'd been ready to go for it for a while, but I was hesitant, rightly so," Savannah pointed her glass at her, splashing a bit of drink on the floor, "But I finally felt confident enough, and I trusted him, and I'd regretted not doing it previous times. I knew." Savannah leaned forward as though telling a secret, "Even if he and I didn't work out that I loved him, and that I wanted to do it." Savannah leaned back, finishing her drink, "I don't regret it. I love the twins, I love Will, it's just…my father. When he found out, well, we were off the graduation list." Savannah sighed, slumping in her chair.

"That's a terrible thing for him to do." Phoenix frowned, Savannah shrugged.

"Enough of me. I'm sick of me." Savannah sniffled. "What about you? Miss perfect life?"

"I wish." Phoenix admitted.

"What?" Savannah gently pushed her shoulder, "You've got a successful, loving husband, Ricky is so talented, I'm sure your other children are just as wonderful."

"I have a nice life," Phoenix admitted, "But it's far from perfect, Savannah. Beth and Anna are also brilliant and wonderful." Cyrus and William came in, talking in hushed tones, they glanced over at the women. Phoenix placed her drink down on the small table between her and Savannah's chairs and Savannah rolled her head away from the door to look at the fireplace.

"Anna and Beth are wonderful." Savannah admitted after William and Cyrus moved to the other side of the room. "I am so happy that they can finally be together as sisters. What with one vacation a year to hang out I'm sure it strained the two." Phoenix glanced across the room at Cyrus and William. She wasn't very good at reading strangers body language, but William seemed to be paying more attention to Savannah than to Cyrus.

"Anna always talked about wanting Beth to come live with us." Savannah sighed sadly, "I knew she wanted her sister. And from the letters Beth sent me, she wanted her sister as well." Savannah stretched, "But that wasn't part of the deal me and Will had made. The girls knew that."

"That doesn't mean they didn't hope you and William would rekindle." Phoenix whispered gently. "I'm sure even still the girls hope you two will at least consider rekindling for them. Even if they don't know that it may make you both unhappy."

Savannah glanced at Cyrus and William, now it was blatantly obvious they were listening in neither men were talking anymore. "All I want is for my girls to be happy, and for him to be happy." Savannah whispered, "But it seems I can't do one without upsetting the other."

Phoenix reached across the space and gently grabbed Savannah's hands. "I'm sure you'll figure something out." Phoenix concentrated on remembering happiness and sending it to Savannah. If she could slip a bit of happiness to the other woman, like how Draco had done so when she was prisoner, maybe the other woman would be able to help her girls and herself.

_"I'm sorry."_

_"Draco! Draco, please, don't do this! Draco, please!" _

Phoenix took a deep breath and tried to keep her eyes from going out of focus.

_"I'm sorry."_

Phoenix gripped the arms of her chair.

"Are you alright, Phoenix?" Savannah asked gently.

Phoenix straightened herself up, "Yes, sorry was I spacing out?"

Savannah looked over her carefully, "Yes," Savannah looked away for a second, "Well that'd be why, look at the time." Phoenix glanced at the clock in the room.

"Half past 1 in the morning." Phoenix thought suddenly exhausted.

"Well," Savannah stood, "I'll be heading off to check on my students, good night." She nodded to Phoenix.

"Good night." Phoenix said.

"Night." William spoke up from the other side of the room, though it was clear when both women turned to look at him that he hadn't meant to say anything. Without another word, Savannah quickly left the teacher's lounge. Phoenix stayed rooted in her chair, willing her eyelids not to droop.

* * *

**Don't forget to vote on the poll and comment and like and blah blah thanks!**

**So far people have voted for more of the kids and Phoenix so expect to see more of that till the poll changes! Don't wanna see that: Go vote!**

**I am SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO UPLOAD! I had started working on this over Winter Break like two months ago but I had no idea where to go from there! However, I think I'm back on track!**


	9. Quidditch Kisses

"So," Zelda tossed another scarab beetle in her cauldron, "Let me get this straight." Ricky groaned and Neo and Cli snickered, "You lead this girl on to make her feel better-zip it red head you know what you did was wrong-" Zelda snapped when Ricky raised his stirring spoon to protest, "Then, she just "gets over" it and just so happens to now be cuddly with your "nemesis"."

"I never said Stonebridge was my nemesis." Ricky growled.

"He kinda is though." Cli admitted, "What with the whole Natalia Brand thing-"

"Which we all swore not to talk about." Ricky interrupted.

Cli embarrassedly went back to his potions book. Zelda shook her head, "All a week before the ball?" Ricky nodded, "Well now who are you going with?"

"I hadn't really planned on going with her." Ricky admitted, Zelda looked as though she were either about to storm off in frustration or throw something at him.

"Dios mío." Zelda growled under her breath, "Boys are so stupid."

"Resent that." Neo held up a protesting finger.

"Oh? And who are you going with muchacho?" Zelda asked with a smirk.

"I'm still working on that." Neo admitted.

"Why didn't you ask Anna?" Cli asked.

"I was going to one day, when she told me that she was going with a boy from your school," Neo looked at Zelda whose eyes widened.

"She is the one going with Pedro?" she asked.

"Pedro?" Ricky asked.

"Zelda's cousin." Cli informed him.

"When did this happen?" Ricky asked.

"When the girls went dress shopping." Cli answered, "Pedro and Zelda were there and he just came up and asked Anna."

"Oh." Ricky nodded to himself, "Did anyone ask Allie?"

"If they have, she hasn't told us about it." Neo answered.

"There." Zelda said, "it's settled," she began to bottle her Skele-grow. "You should go with Allie."

"What? No. We're just friends." Ricky protested.

"Then go as "just friends." Zelda smiled in a sarcastically sweet way as she turned in her potion.

"You've got three days till you get your butt kicked and you show up alone to the-"

"It is so vital to your future that you do not finish that sentence." Ricky threateningly pointed his stirring spoon at Cli who chuckled.

As they finished and bottled their potions professor Stacey spoke up, "We will be testing these potions next class."

"How exactly?" A Ravenclaw boy asked.

"Simple. I will be casting a," he looked around for the words, "bone de-grow spell on your arm. Your bone will disappear and you'll drink your potion."

"What if it doesn't work?" A Mexican boy asked.

"That's your problem for not brewing it properly." Professor Stacey shrugged to himself. Ricky frowned.

"Sir?" He spoke up, "Doesn't it take several hours to take effect."

"Glad someone is paying attention." Professor Stacey sighed, "Yes, however by the end of the block I will have a quicken potion prepared and that will speed the process up to just two hours."

"We'll have to walk around with flimsy arms for two hours?" Neo's eyes widened.

"I'm fairly sure I just explained so. For the class after you will write a two scroll essay on your experience re-growing your arm." Professor Stacey instructed as the bell rang for lunch.

"That's mad." Neo growled as they walked out. "He's so lucky we don't have our match tomorrow."

"Imagine blocking bludgers with a noodle arm." Cli joked. The three boys laughed as they filed into the Great Hall, Cli dismissed himself as his teammates called him over.

"Ricky," Dominique whistled and waved him over. "So," she grinned as though she was telling a secret. The Gryffindor team was already sitting piling food onto their plates, "We were all talking about this Friday. The game," Ricky and Neo sat down and picked food onto their plates. "Do we have a strategy? Are we getting Cli to reveal anything?" she placed a knee on the bench and hovered over Neo.

"Not a chance." Neo sighed, "With Brand in charge, Cli isn't even risking their training schedule."

"Not even a hint?" Dominique asked.

"Nope. Nothing."

"Damn." Dominique grumbled, "Brand always pulls some new trick on us." She explained to James and Lucy, "But we've got this, right Ricky?" Ricky nodded, though didn't answer.

"Why don't you use that Peruvian darkness powder your dad got you for your birthday a few weeks ago?" Charity asked.

"That's cheating." Ricky scolded, "We're going to try not to cheat unless it's against Slytherin."

"What did mum and dad send you anyways?" James asked.

"New broom cleaning kit." Ricky answered almost sadly, his Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry had tried to get Ricky a Firebolt Supreme 2, however as the most expensive broom on the market, his mother had demanded they not give it to him.

"Did mine send you anything?" Lucy asked.

"Uncle Percy sent a letter," Ricky said, "As usual. And Aunt Audrey sent a box of homemade cinnamon bears." Lucy made a jealous frown. "I already ate them all, Luce, sorry."

"It's fine, it was your birthday." Lucy insisted.

"And it was on the first, eighteen days ago. However," Neo protested, "The game is in three days. Enough of the "birthday boy", we've got to focus on getting our plays down."

"Anyone have Stacey's class?" Ricky asked. Everyone on the team did, "So we're all going to be out of commission tomorrow. I say we practice this evening, and the day before the match after classes." Ricky looked around, "Sound good?" he asked.

No one protested, but no one looked happy with the idea either.

After evening classes and supper, Ricky and Neo dragged themselves to the Quidditch Pitch, still sore from their Endurance class.

"I swear." Neo rolled his neck, "Any place that requires Endurance as a class is stupid. All it's doing is building my endurance up to bull shi-" Neo dodged a dropped Quaffle and looked up wide eyed at the flyers.

"Sorry little brother." Charity smirked, "Maybe you should get your head in the game."

"Oh haha." Neo sneered, Ricky laughed as Neo mounted his broom and took off.

Ricky ran through different drills with the team, not noticing the sinking of the sun. "Oi!" Ricky blocked one last shot before looking down, "Ricky! James!"

"Hagrid!" James called, dodging a bludger at the last second, "What's up?"

"Wha's up is it's past bedtime." Hagrid put his hands on his hips, "You lot need to ge' back in the castle."

"What?" Ricky demanded, he flew down from the post, "It can't be already?" he asked.

"It is. Your mum asked me to come get you lot." Hagrid explained.

Embarrassed, Ricky called his team in. They locked their brooms up and walked back to the castle with Hagrid. "Night, Hagrid!" They called, waving goodbye to the groundskeeper. Ricky followed the team up the changing staircases to the tower calling it a night.

* * *

"Good luck Sunday, boys." Phoenix said as she walked between the desks, Ricky smiled up at his mother.

"Thanks professor Weasley." Neo beamed, "Though, as Gryffindors, we don't really need it."

Phoenix just smirked, "No," she said, reminding Ricky of his grandmother, "But you do need it to get your doubling spell right."

Neo deadpanned, "Yeah." Ricky snickered next to him, having mastered the spell during his training sessions with his mother. "You could help me, you know?" Neo snapped.

"Watching is so much more fun." Ricky waved him off. "So," Ricky nudged him, "Who are you going with to the ball?" he pressed.

"No clue." Neo grumbled, he rubbed his sore arm.

"You still haven't got a date?" Ricky ignored the tingling sensation in his own arm, remembering having no bones and re-growing bones yesterday.

"You haven't either." Neo argued quietly.

"Yeah, but my parents are "chaperoning"," Ricky wanted to gag at the thought, "There's no way I'll bring a date."

"Ew." Neo gagged, waving his wand absent mindedly to try and make a double of the flower in front of him, "Professor Weasley snogging her husband? No thanks, I'll pass."

"My thoughts exactly." Ricky laughed as Neo succeeded in setting his flower on fire. Ricky quickly extinguished the flame before his mother could return.

"Those of you unable to properly duplicate your item will be required to do one scroll's worth of homework on the properties and restraints of a Duplicate Charm." Phoenix announced, walking around the room.

Neo groaned and looked at Ricky pleadingly, "Fine." Ricky caved and showed Neo once more how to flick his wand. Finally, after several more failed attempts, Neo was able to call Phoenix back over and duplicate the remains of the flower.

"While I should deduct points for destroying your object, I'll let this slide." Phoenix said, "Only so Gryffindor can win Sunday." Phoenix whispered to the boys before walking off.

"Your mom is amazing, have I ever told you that?" Neo leaned back in his chair, thankful to have the last few minutes of class to himself.

"Never say that again." Ricky laughed. The rest of the day flew by like a breeze, even Health with Cyrus wasn't so unbearable.

Sunday's weather conditions could not have been more perfect. Lunch had the Great Hall separated into reds and golds, and blues and bronzes. Professor Longbottom was trying to get Professor Weasley to paint her face and celebrate. The two competing teams were gathered on opposite ends of the Great Hall, with people randomly coming up to them or gathering around them. Hardly anyone was eating, instead everyone was excited for the game and the ball that would be following it. After half an hour of non-stop chatter and random chants McGonagall finally dismissed the Great Hall. Ricky only nodded to people who wished him and his team good luck.

Snow crunched under Ricky's feet as he and his team raced to their brooms. He could hear a few people cheering as the teams raced to their locker room. "We stick to analyzing, Ravenclaw has been playing the defense recently, so we're going to step it back a bit to throw them off." Ricky said as his team bounced with excitement. "No foul play."

"Yeah, leave that for the snakes." James grinned.

"No need for bloody noses at the ball," Charity said, "Ready, captain?" she asked him.

Ricky nodded, the team cheered as they walked out to the pitch. He shook hands with Natalia before taking off. Ricky could hardly hear Madam Hooch's regular speech over the roar of five schools squished into the stands.

"Bludgers released." The announcer's voice came.

Ricky took a deep breath, the roar was drowned out my his own concentration.

"Snitch out."

Another breath.

"Quaffle is up!"

He closed his eyes.

"And the game begins!"

He opened them, "Ravenclaw in possession first. Rybak passes to Monroe, back to Rybak, ooh and a fantastic steal from Gryffindor's Johnson!"

"Come on Roxanne!" Ricky cheered on his teammate as she whipped around the goal posts. "Passes to Charity-Ooh what a whack from Cli Swleyn! His arm has greatly improved since last year. Johnson throws! No! Natalia Brand, Keeper for Ravenclaw, swoops in for a save." Ricky could hear Gryffindor and those cheering for them groan.

"Mariana Diamond and Dominique Weasley circling above looking for the snitch, both seekers have an impressive record, last year-"

Ricky drowned out the spectator and blocked the Quaffle. Ricky could feel his skin tingling with adrenaline. Gryffindor made the first goal, followed by two more goals before Ravenclaw could even get the Quaffle. Five minutes of playing defense and air tag flew by before Ravenclaw could score. Ricky shook his wrist, the Quaffle had brushed by his hand and sailed straight through the hoop.

"Ouch!" the spectator yelped, "Geoffrey Finn, beater for Ravenclaw, just slammed a bludger straight towards Neo Selwyn! Selwyn's going down!" Ricky's eyes widened as he watched his best friend spin out of control hitting one of the towers before slipping off his broom. Inanimate, the broom spiraled down with the unconscious Beater. Charity raced, snatching Neo out of the air just before he hit the ground, however the sudden weight caused Charity's Air Wave Gold broom to slip out from under her. Charity curled up to protect her brother from impact.

"In the chaos, Monroe scored on Gryffindor!" Ricky's head swiveled around.

"Time!" He called to Madam Hooch, she blew her whistle.

"Captain, Ricky Weasley is calling a time." McGonagall spoke over the spectator. Ricky pushed his broom down, landing next to Charity and Neo, Madam Hooch and Madam Pomfrey were already there.

"Concussion," Madam Pomfrey said.

"That had to have been foul," Charity argued with Hooch, "Finn was right next to Neo. He deliberately hit him."

Hooch held up her hands, "Be that as it may. He hit Mr. Selwyn's broom, Mr. Selwyn was knocked out from hitting the stands."

"But it's because he hit his broom that he's knocked out." Ricky argued. Cli flew down, hovering just next to Hooch.

"Is Neo okay?" he asked Madam Hooch.

"He's got a concussion, nothing myself or Mr. Genio can't fix." Madam Hooch answered.

"You better tell your team," Charity walked over to her brother and yanked at his blue robes, "That if they pull another stunt like that they're won't be a team to play next time."

Intimidated by his older sister, Cli swallowed. "Miss Selwyn, threatening could be taken as a foul."

Charity opened her mouth to say something when Ricky placed a hand on her shoulder, "Drop it." he said gently, "Get back on your broom. I'll deal with Ravenclaw."

Dominique flew down, "Is Neo okay?" she asked.

"Concussion." Ricky answered.

"Does that mean a forfeit?" Dominique asked Hooch.

"That is up to Ricky." Hooch looked at Ricky.

"How fast can Neo be fixed?" He asked Madam Pomfrey.

"Five minutes." Madam Pomfrey answered, "He'll be light headed, but he'll be able to fly."

"Send him back in in five minutes." Ricky answered.

"Is this over with?" Hooch asked scowling with disapproval.

With the game resumed, Gryffindor pulled all their forces together, Charity and Roxanne kept the Ravenclaw Chasers busy. Often placing one of them on the other side of the goal posts so they could throw and catch and repeat. James and Lucy kept the Beaters busy, always pushing the bludgers towards the Ravenclaw side. The spectator could hardly keep up with what was happening. The score was one hundred to twenty by the time Neo got back in the game, keeping low to the ground on the off chance his sister or Roxanne dropped the Quaffle.

"Dominique is taking off at lightening speed, look at her go, a perfect 90 degree angle upward!" Ricky glanced at the other side, seeing Natalia Brand slowly giving up on blocking the posts, he risked looking at his cousin. "Ravenclaw is finally in position of the Quaffle!"

"Will Dominique catch the snitch before Schmidt can score?" Ricky looked back at the pitch, Schmidt was flying towards him, weaving around the bludgers James and Lucy tried sending towards him. Schmidt reeled his arm back and sent the Quaffle flying. Keeping his legs tight around his broom, Ricky pulled back. His hands left the broom and he held his arms out. The Quaffle hit him in the chest knocking him back against the post, but not through the hoop.

"Ricky made an impressive block and-" The spectator paused, "Here comes Dominique, pulling a similar move. Ricky groaned as his broom dropped a few feet, he looked towards the center of the pitch. Dominique was laying flat on her broom, her feet no longer on the crossbars. "Dominique Weasley is free falling, arm out stretched!" The stadium held its breath, "Mariana Diamond tries to race for the snitch-and…and!"

"She's done it!" Dominique suddenly closed her hand around the snitch and pulled her broom up. "Dominique Weasley has caught the snitch! Gryffindor wins!" Ricky felt his ears buzz with excitement and the roar of the crowd as he watched the Gryffindor team all but swarm Dominique. Charity and Roxanne lifted Dominique onto their shoulders as the Ravenclaw team sulked off the field. Ricky guided his broom down, tossing the Quaffle to the side as he landed by James and Lucy who were cheering and jumping around. For the first time in recalled history, the students made their way to the field to celebrate with the team. Ricky couldn't remember a time there were so many people on the pitch, through the crowd he could spot his parents, aunt, and uncle. Ron gave him a smile and a thumbs up, Hermione was cheering next to him, his parents were smiling proudly. Ricky smile and waved to them before being consumed by the crowd of cheering friends.

"Ricky!" Allie squeezed through the crowd and threw her arms around him, "I'm so proud of you!"

"Gosh, Al," Ricky chuckled over the crowd, still cheering and starting to migrate towards the castle, "You sound like my mom." Ricky hardly had time to process Allie pressing her hand to the back of his head and locking their lips together. She tasted like snow and strawberries. He had no idea how much time had passed, but when they pulled back he noticed a large diameter of snow had melted around them and the snow that had been gracefully laid in her hair had disappeared. "Don't think she would have done that, though," He said gently.

Allie laughed, "Sorry." She bit her lip.

"Don't be." Ricky grinned, "I've wanted to do that for so long." He admitted, he began to dip for another kiss when he heard cheering. He winced, "Parents still here?"

"Yup." Allie's pale cheeks turned crimson, "Your dad's fist pumping."

Tonight's ball would be interesting indeed.

* * *

Ricky had been laying in bed with Neo came stumbling into the dormitory. "You alright?" He'd been nervously tossing a box of bertie botts in the air and catching it. Neo shook his head, looking as though he were going to be sick. Ricky sat up, "Something happen in the common room?" Neo nodded, an embarrassed moan mixed with a frustrated groan escaped his throat, but still he did not open his mouth. "Well," Ricky gripped the edge of his bed, "what?" he asked awkwardly.

"We were all downstairs celebrating before the ball and," Neo swallowed, he grabbed Ricky's bed frame, swaying dangerously to and fro, "and Dom," he swallowed again.

"What'd she do?" Ricky asked.

"She," Neo swallowed and sat down on his bed, "grabbed me and kissed me." Neo whispered. Ricky glanced around, not sure how Neo wanted him to react.

"Wow." Was all Ricky said.

"I mean," Neo was suddenly in full vent mode, pacing between their beds. "Who does she think she is? Just cause I congratulated her on that amazing move she pulled earlier. Just because we've worked on a team since third year. Just because I've spent time with your extensive family and I usually hang around you and her, does she think she's got some sort of right to feel like this?" Ricky could sense Neo's emotions stretching and twisting in a hot, confused mess. He tried to feel out his cousins emotions, her usual calm emotions were hard to find in the excitement in the common room. However, he found her cool blue-grey emotions throbbing with yellows and oranges.

"Well," He asked, "Do you like her?" He tried to focus on Neo's reaction.

Neo's emotions turned a sickish green as well as his face, "I mean," He sat back down, this time on the floor. Ricky could sense his emotions wrapping around Neo, as if Neo was trying to protect himself. "Do I?" He asked as if asking for permission.

"Do you?" Ricky asked confused.

"Oh god," Neo slammed his face into his knees. "I can't! She's your cousin! Your closest cousin! That'd be wrong!"

"Dude," Ricky awkwardly assured Neo, "I don't care. Just don't be a dick to her. I know how you can be to girls."

Neo stayed silent, "So," he paused, "You're cool with this?" he asked.

"Of course." Ricky shrugged, "So you two going to go to the Ball together?" Neo's eyes widened.

"We are now!" Neo stood and launched himself over his bed and back down into the common room. Ricky laughed and popped a bertie bean in his mouth, he nearly gagged and spat it back out.

"Farm Dirt." He grumbled.

The rest of his roommates came up, all getting dressed for the ball. "Ricky?" the Weasley turned to see James in the door to their dormitory. "Aunt Phoenix wanted me to bring this to you." Ricky groaned, taking the box, James walked away laughing.

His roommates laughed as Ricky pulled out the dress robes, "I can't believe she got this." However, he was further confused by the dark green tie that accompanied his robes. "Everyone else knows but you, it's time you put it together. Love, mom." Ricky quickly crumpled the note before any of the other boys could see it. "Now she's going to know if I don't go." He tried seeking out his mom's emotions, figuring she'd be close by, however he couldn't find her grey mist in the crowd of excited emotions.

"Hope this goes well." Neo said, Ricky could feel Neo holding his emotions close again and didn't blame him. Dominique could be feisty at the best of times, and dominating at others.

"Here goes nothing." Ricky gave Neo a friendly shove out of the dormitory as the two walked down to the common room. Ricky and Neo stopped at the foot of the stairs. Dominique stood with one arm around her stomach, holding onto her other arm shyly. Ricky had to admit, she looked gorgeous. Her shoulder length ginger hair had been curled and twisted in a braid Ricky had never seen before (then again, he didn't know much about braids to begin with). Her dress fell to the floor, the majority of the dress being covered in a red rose flower pattern, while the negative space was black and stood out against her pale skin.

"Like I said," Ricky whispered to Neo, "Don't be a dick." Without another word he complimented his cousin and walked out. "Was she wearing heels?" he asked himself as he climbed out of Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

**So I did what I swore not to do and that was let real life get in the way of writing...**

**But I mean like...SO much has happened since I last updated!**

**I got a boyfriend (the 28th was our 6 months), I went to Atlanta, I got my wisdom teeth removed, I sung at a competition the day after having my mouth destroyed and my choir placed 3rd out of like 15 or something like that, I GRADUATED! I visited family, I started a JOB and COLLEGE! Like...**

**A LOT has happened. In just SIX MONTHS! Just seems so surreal.**

**So while, yes this is an update to the story, it's also me kinda saying...hey...what have you all been up to these past 6 months?**


	10. Winter Fair

Several students were still mingling outside the Great Hall when Ricky made it down from the tower. He scanned the crowd for his mother, finding her with the other teachers, her arms linked with his father's. McGonagall had Mikey by the hand and was talking to the other teachers. Uncle Draco and Aunt Astoria were there, Astoria and Phoenix chattering away like old friends while Uncle Draco and George barely shared a few words. Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione were there too with Hugo. Aunt Hermione, of course, trying to ease things by chatting with Phoenix and Astoria. Ron just held Hugo's shoulder and looked around.

He spotted Cli, arms linked with Beth, being introduced to her friends. Neo and Dominique were leaning awkwardly shoulder to shoulder on one wall, waving to people they knew and smiling at friends and people who congratulated them on their Quidditch match earlier. Victoire stood closer to the bottom of the stairs with a group of girls around her, she wore a baby blue dress that fell to the floor and was decorated with white roses. He wasn't surprised to see a group of boys on the other side of the stairs drooling over her. She was the star in the midst of her friends, all of which were dressed in a more traditional Ravenclaw dark blue. Phoenix was standing next to Marcus Stonebridge, who looked more than pleased to have her as his date. He could feel from across the room that she was pulling her emotions in two different ways, trying to keep Marcus's emotions from hers and recoiling her own. Ricky passed his eyes over Natalia Brand who stood with the Ravenclaw Beater, Geoffrey Finn. Molly was with a Hufflepuff boy he'd never seen before and appeared to be extremely happy with him. Ricky couldn't help but smile and feed some of his own happiness to her, not being able to remember a time she was so happy or had her emotions bursting with confidence in her slim fitting, princess sleeved, red dress. Lucy, wearing a small white tea length dress, was laughing with James, and the other Quidditch players. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny were there as well, Lily standing between them, bouncing excitedly. Something Uncle Harry said made the team laugh.

He saw others and smiled if they noticed him, but made no move to continue down the stairs. Up from the Slytherin Dungeon came deafening footsteps, a trembling emotion captured Ricky's attention. The noise of the crowd became a dull buzz in his ears as jeweled eyes looked around nervously, a black and green lace dress was dropped to the floor as black jeweled heels reached the last step.

Allie looked stunning, breathtaking, nervous. Ricky watched his mother appear from seemingly nowhere and gently grab Allie's shoulder. He could feel his emotions throbbing with anxiety and light-headedness. Finally Allie and his mother smiled and Phoenix looked over at him. She beckoned him over and Allie, emotions singed pink, was looking everywhere but at him.

Ricky couldn't recall a time his legs felt like jelly, not even after his first time flying, or side-apparating with someone. "Don't you look handsome?" His mother asked once he had joined them. There were no words to share between the two. Phoenix looked between Ricky and Allie. "Well," Phoenix said after a long, awkward silence, "I must go join the other teachers, I expect they'll be letting us in soon." With that, she left.

Ricky swallowed the rock in his throat, "You look nice." he said.

"So do you." Allie replied, smoother.

"Did you know that my mother," Allie cut Ricky off with the shake of her head, "Oh." "Sorry she did this."

She cut him off again with another shake, "No, don't worry. I'm glad."

"Your attention please," McGonagall spoke over the roar of the students eagerly waiting to go in, dance, and eat to their hearts desires. Ricky closed his mouth, a compliment lost on his lips, as he turned to hear what McGonagall had to say. "Welcome to the World Ball." The Great Doors opened with a creak revealing a magnificent sight inside. Five grand Christmas trees stood, one in each corner and one dead center. On the far wall where the teachers table normally sat was a stage with a band playing gentle music. Each tree had a unique crest on it, the one in the middle being the Hogwarts crest. Strands of pine colored tinsel hung from the outer four Christmas trees and connected them to the middle tree. The walls looked as though a waterfall had been frozen, ice hung in thick sheets down the sides of the wall. The ground was covered in a light dusting, but no one slipped, and no ones dresses or shoes got wet. Golden candles, lazily floating around, and paper lanterns gave the room a warm glow.

For the first hour there was mingling and food passed from table to mouth. Neo and Cli eventually met up with Ricky and Allie.

"Allie, you look stunning." Dominique complimented.

"Thank you," Allie brushed at the skirt of her dress with the back of her hand, "Ricky's mother got this for me."

"It's a perfect fit," Beth gushed. The boys looked between each other, unsure if they should join the conversation as the girls were soon pouring over their dresses and complimenting each other.

"Did your mother really get that dress for her?" Cli asked.

"Guess so." Ricky answered.

"She looks like a real girl." Neo exclaimed in quiet surprise.

It is unknown to boys, but once a group of girls get together to compliment each other, other girls will find their way to the group and join in the positive sharing. Soon, Ricky was standing with Cli, Neo, Geoffrey, Marcus, Molly's date (who turned out to be Levi Rowell, a half-blood), and several other boys who had no idea how to handle their dates.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," the glowing candles and lanterns dimmed, "We are pleased to announce the Magic World's upcoming singing group," Several girls and a few guys looked around excitedly as the players on stage moved away and a small fog blocked the stage from view. "The Magicals." Allie excitedly pulled Ricky around the center tree to the stage, a wave of other students following.

The Magicals was a group of twenty young men and women, twelve women and eight men. One man played the piano while another man strummed a guitar. Ricky had heard of the group before, they were all either half blood or muggle born, but all of them were American. They mostly sang without music but every few songs the piano man would play or the guitar man would strum. Some songs were slow, in which Allie would grab Ricky and they'd dance a slow foxy. He felt her press her face to his neck, he rested his chin on her head.

"Just say 'I do'. There's nothing more that I'll ask you to, just say 'I do'. After you say it then I will to," A girl sang softly, her voice almost hauntingly beautiful as the rest of the group joined in harmony.

Ricky was terrified that Allie could feel his heart beating wildly, but as he searched her emotions he could only see a bright red and a content blue washing back and forth across her emotions.

"Did you get a note with your robes?" Allie asked gentle as they turned.

"Yes." Ricky answered.

"And?" Allie asked.

"Guess it's obvious now, isn't it?" He asked.

* * *

Phoenix had long since excused herself from the ball, she walked the castle alone, not believing how much time had passed since she was roaming the halls with Harry, Ron and Hermione. She was still close enough to the Great Hall that she could hear music faintly drifting through the halls. She walked without a destination in mind but soon found herself in front of the forming door to the Room of Requirement. She'd done this several times, especially early in her career as a teacher, she stepped through the door, making sure to close it behind her. "Professor." She whispered, turning to face the middle of the room.

There, in the middle of the room, sat the Mirror of Erised. In the Mirror stood Professor Snape, in all his black, greasy glory. Dumbledore stood with him, though he never got too close to the frame between them and her. She approached calmly, remembering her first experience with the mirror.

* * *

_A particularly nasty student had thrown a book at Phoenix during her first month of teaching. He had cursed at her, challenging her to draw her wand. When she refused and instead gave him a detention he'd sent a rather clumsy biting jinx at her. Instead of causing her clothes to bite her, it caused her right sleeve to clamp down onto her with razor, shark-like teeth. It didn't continue to chomp or nibble, but nearly clamped on her arm in such a way it nearly tore her arm clean out her socket. She excused to class and ran. She ran to a place where she could think and get her frustrations out in peace. She needed a place to think, to see if teaching was really cut out for her, or if she should return home to her husband and son to help manage the company._

_She banged on the wall on the seventh floor, "why isn't the damn room opening to me!" she was thankful classes were still going on, a professor banging on a wall while her arm hung limply at her side dripping more and more blood onto the floor would look suspicious and humiliating. But finally, a small wooden door cracked through the wall and Phoenix was inside before it was fully complete._

_The room was dark, save for a spotlight that lit up the center of the room. A Mirror, with unknown words etched on the frame sat in the center of this spotlight. A chair with gauze, bandaging tape, and scissors, sat a few feet from the mirror. Phoenix, a miserable and bloody mess stumbled to the chair. She worked her outermost robe off, revealing her teaching dress underneath. The biting jinx had long since worn off, but the puncture marks and bleeding had not gone away._

_Phoenix worked at cleaning her arm as best as she could, she had no way to clean the wound presently, but worked at pressing the gauze and bandaging tape around her arm. "I can survive all the unforgivable curses, but I can't take a little nibble." She winced, "I can't even control my own classroom." She laid back, her wound half dressed. When she opened her eyes, a pair of black, beady, familiar eyes, looked down at her disappointedly._

_For a long time, Phoenix didn't move, she couldn't tear her gaze away from the man in the mirror. Finally, Phoenix grabbed the arms of the chair and twisted her back around. He was not behind her. She turned to face the mirror, "But there he is, plain as day." she thought._

_"Professor Snape?" She glanced behind him, a shadowed figure becoming more clear as she took it in. "Professor Dumbledore?"_

* * *

They could not speak to her, but she could speak to them, and she often poured her heart and frustrations out to the two lost in the Mirror. She knew it was unhealthy, she knew it was dangerous, but she was able to expel all her feelings without fear of drama or judgment. Snape for the most part looked on disapprovingly as she mentioned her hopes for her students, whereas Dumbledore looked as smitten as a kitten in a mitten with how wonderfully she'd taken to teaching.

When she came to them one day worried about Ricky's developing powers, Snape and Dumbledore shared a look of concern. Snape because he had been part of Draco's lessons, teaching him to control and overpower those connected to them. Dumbledore because he knew the history of Weather Wizards. How they were hunted for their powers, corrupted for a purpose, often slaves to their emotions and those who manipulated them.

But Ricky was exceeding Phoenix and Draco's powers. Where as they could manipulate each other and their immediate environments, Ricky was able to seek out other people's emotions and manipulate theirs. He was able to find people in a crowd based on their emotions, he could easily over power her and Draco if he took the time to learn what he could do. Since then she'd been obsessed with coming to the two professor's wanting guidance on how to raise a weather wizard, she often paced in front of the mirror worrying about her other two children.

But now, she was at ease seeing them on the other side of the mirror. Ricky was turning into a fine young man, and he was actually showing interest in learning more about his powers and family history. Before she could move before it the door opened behind her, she slipped her wand from her dress sleeve and clenched it in her fist. She turned, wand ready to be raised, but was mildly surprised to find Harry.

"How did you-"

"Neville told me the loophole to get in." Harry shoved his hands in his pockets. He didn't glance behind her, "Phoenix, that mirror is dangerous."

"I know," Phoenix admitted, not liking his tone, as if he were scolding one of his kids for being rude. She opened her mouth to say some excuse, but found nothing was coming to her lips.

"People become consumed by what they see." Harry continued, walking towards her slowly. Phoenix thought back to how often she came into the room, wanting-needing sometimes-to see Snape and Dumbledore. "It often drives them insane." He now stood in front of her, "Let's go." He said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up at him and nodded, "Very well." She didn't remember if she even had a reason for coming to the room.

"Please, don't come back to the Mirror." Harry pleaded.

"I won't come back." Phoenix said, but it was an empty promise.

The closer they got to the Great Hall, the more they saw students outside in the halls and stairways, relaxing, chatting, and trying to sneak off. However, there were still plenty of students inside the Great Hall still dancing and eating.

The American band was still playing, only now they were singing about losing that perfect person. "I think," Harry said, breaking the tension that had settled in their walk back, "That my sister owes me a dance." He held out his hand to her, "For old times sake?" he asked.

Phoenix thought back to the Yule Ball, before everything went wrong, she smiled and took his hand.

"You could find another me tomorrow, and that's the hardest pill to swallow."

As the ball came to an end, people were wishing "goodnight"'s and "happy Christmas"'s. Phoenix kissed her husband on the cheek, and hugged her youngest child tightly, wishing them both goodnight. Astoria hugged her and had Draco give her a handshake. James was trying to pry himself away from his parents who were embarrassing him with a long goodbye with a tired Lily leaning on Ginny. Lucy was waiting nearby so she could walk back to Gryffindor tower with James. Ron and Hermione were wishing their nieces and nephews good night and waving goodbye to their friends as they carried a sleeping Hugo out with them. Levi gave Molly a gentlemanly kiss on the back of her hand before wishing her goodnight. Victoire walked to Ravenclaw tower, still as elegant as ever, her arms linked with her dorm mates as they chatted about their favorite parts of the ball. Cli was whispering something to Beth that made her giggle and hit him playfully. Dominique and Neo were walking arm-in-arm, her shoes dangling from his free hand as they laughed and chatted about the game that had felt like it'd happened a year ago.

Ricky had snuck off elsewhere with Allie to wish her goodnight. The emotions of his friends and family was overwhelming, his head was spinning by the time he wished Allie goodnight and snuck back up to Gryffindor tower. Even with everyone's emotions swimming in his head, Ricky couldn't help but go to sleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

**Like how I snuck that "like it'd happened a year ago" in there? Considering it's been a year?**

**College sucks okay? Don't grow up. Lol, no, but seriously.**

**I realized after signing up for one degree that I actually really wanted to teach, so I guess that's why Phoenix quit managing WWW and decided to Teach (even though that was written years ago in the original story).**

**This chapter I had to re-do about five times over the course of a seven month period because I didn't like where it went. At all. And I still don't, but I got out some major plot points and I'm happy to move on.**


	11. Monster?

Sir Willow watched as he made students run through an obstacle course. "Good afternoon, sir." He turned, wand at the ready, but was confused to see one of the Hogwarts professors. "I understand you push the body to match the magical limits it has."

"Yes, señora." He returned his wand to his pants pocket. "Disculpe,"

"Weasley. Phoenix Weasley." The woman smiled. "My son," she nodded across the room, where Ricky was struggling to pull Neo out of pool filled with exceptionally angry grindylows. "Is in your class."

"Ah, yes." Willow's eyebrows furrowed, something about the boy had always put him off, how he was simultaneously jumpy and in control, how he was always present, but absent-minded. "With his strength, he would make a great auror." Willow clasped his hands behind his back. While he meant it as a compliment, he noticed how Phoenix's face fell. "Is there a problem, señora?"

"Is he too exceptional?" Phoenix suddenly turned to him, her cool eyes filled with fear. "Does he seem too powerful for his age?" She asked.

"Nothing out of the ordinary." Willow looked at her, one eyebrow raising curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"Just," Phoenix watched Ricky for a moment, "making sure he's doing his best." She nodded and thanked him for his time before suddenly taking her leave. As Phoenix wrapped her cloak tightly around her, and pulled her gloves farther up her arms, she walked to the castle with her head down.

"So?" George was beside her, having waited outside the hut for her.

"He says Ricky would make a great auror." Phoenix shook her head against the cold winter wind. She scoffed to herself.

"Yeah, so does Harry, but the man gets winded after eating." George joked. Phoenix huffed a laugh out and continued her march to the castle.

"I'm worried, dear," Phoenix whispered to the first snowflakes of the day. "Allie and Ricky's emotions have been wild and crazy." She stopped walking and George stood in front of her, "She came to me the other day saying she's not sure why her emotions are all over the place, but that it's gotten to the point she's not sure if she should continue her schooling."

"Well, why's that got you worried about Ricky?" George asked.

"Because," Phoenix looked around the grounds, "he can change other people's emotions."

"Like how you and Draco do to each other," George nodded, connecting the dots.

"You don't think Ricky is making Allie do things? It's almost the same as with Phoenix Genio." Phoenix hugged herself. "I don't want Ricky going down a bad path."

"Allie's always had a thing for Ricky." George shrugged it off. "Try," he grabbed her shoulders, "to not let it stress you too much."

"I need to figure out how Ricky can control his emotions," Phoenix ignored George, "If he can control his, maybe then he can control influencing other people."

"Who knows," George snapped Phoenix out of her rant, "maybe the kid will make a great Minister one day." Phoenix gave a short laugh, "But," she looked up at him. George was reminded of Egypt, the confusion, fear, and adrenaline in her eyes, in the way she gripped his arms with her pale hands. "If you are really that worried, maybe you should ask McGonagall if Dumbledore left anything on this." Phoenix's eyes lit up and George was reminded of why he loved the little bird so much.

"George, that's brilliant!" she grinned. She was a little bird that'd been taken from her nest, and he gave her a new one.

"I know." George waved it off. He walked her back to the castle, talking her down from her fears, the snow flurries had picked up, so George knew she was still worried, but he gave her a peck on the cheek as the clocks chimed the end of the class period, and turned at the castle doors to leave.

"Dad?" Minnie called.

George turned, Phoenix had already disappeared somewhere in the ancient halls, but half running, half skipping towards him was his little girl, pulling another little girl with her. "Minnie! My baby bird!" He kneeled down in time to be tackled by his daughter.

"What are you doing here?" she hugged him tightly.

"Oh, I was just out for a stroll with your mother." George pulled back.

"Oh!" Minnie stepped back, "Dad, you didn't get to meet my friend at the ball last week," she took hold of the little girl that had stood silently beside them while they hugged. "This is Bird. She's blind. She's in Gryffindor."

"I can tell by her robes," George smiled, "Hello, Bird."

"Hello." Bird's voice was soft, she held tightly onto Minnie with one hand and her cane with the other.

"I ask Ricky and his friends all the time to watch out for her, or else!" Minnie joked, but Bird quickly snatched her hand away.

"Ow, Minnie, that was hot!" Bird frowned. George watched wide eyed as Minnie shook her hand that had been holding Bird's.

"Are you okay, baby bird?" George asked.

"Yup!" Minnie looked at him cheerfully, her hands behind her back, "Well we've gotta get to class, bye dad!" she hurried, giving George another hug before ushering Bird off suddenly. George stood up slowly, watching his daughter till she was around a corner.

* * *

"Focus on your emotions." Phoenix whispered to Ricky. They were in her office, her orbs once more in orbit, Ricky sat in a chair facing the door. "What's it like?" she asked.

"My emotions are all over the place. I see no end." Ricky had his eyes closed, his body was slumped yet rigid. As if he were forcing himself to relax.

"Try to find my emotions." Phoenix said calmly, keeping an eye on the orbs that circled her room. Violet chirped in the corner and Phoenix let out a small chuckle. "I don't think Violet enjoys you probing her emotions."

"Sorry," Ricky wheezed, his shoulders tense.

"She'll be fine," Phoenix grinned at the old bird who was seemingly glaring at her. "What do you see when you see my emotions?"

"I see," Ricky frowned, glad his mother couldn't see him, "A blue-grey."

"And what does that mean?" Phoenix asked, leaning forward, placing her interlinked hands on her desk.

"Almost as if you're sad, but numb." Ricky tried to poke his emotions towards hers, but her emotions recoiled. Dumbfounded, Ricky pulled out of his dream-like state. "How did you pull-" Ricky turned in the chair, "I mean, how did you know-" he sat, holding the back of the chair, looking at his mother with wonder and worry.

"I know you can manipulate other people's emotions with your own." Phoenix said calmly.

"How long have you known?" Ricky asked, "And you make it sound so bad."

"Since you had your little fling with Phoenix Genio." Phoenix gently said, "And it's not a good thing." Ricky's body deflated a little. "Ricky," Phoenix frowned and stood up. She walked around her desk and kneeled down in front of Ricky. "You are not a bad person, okay?" Ricky could feel her emotions tugging her in separate directions.

"Aren't I, though?" He asked.

"No, sweetie." Phoenix shook her head, taking his hands. He pulled them away. Upset, but determined, Phoenix scooted closer, laying a hand on the chair, "But, people's emotions are not toys."

"I'm not a child." Ricky snipped.

"I know." Phoenix sighed, "I'm just telling you, don't manipulate other people's emotions anymore. You don't know what kind of effect that'll have on them, or you." Ricky looked at his lap, Phoenix laid a hand on his knee. "I want you to live as normal a life as possible. I don't want you to think you have to manipulate those around you to like you. You're funny, sweet, kind," Phoenix tweaked his nose, "You don't need to use your powers so much."

Ricky's orb had turned into a stormy sea. "Have I been manipulating my friends this whole time?" Ricky asked aloud.

"No, sweetie, your friends truly love you." Phoenix reassured him.

"How do you know that, though?" he asked.

"Because they support you." Phoenix reasoned, Ricky rose and Phoenix was quick to follow.

"But how do you know that I didn't MAKE them support me?" He demanded, "Have I-am I," Ricky began to pace, his orb was nearly a hurricane once more. "Am I a freak? Am I a monster?"

"Ricky," Phoenix grabbed his shoulders, her eyes on his orb, the wind died down, "I've fought monsters." She said quietly, "You are no monster."

"How can you be so sure?"

* * *

**Just a quick blurb before my biology quiz. Wish me luck.**

**So! We start to see a little bit of a darker side to being a weather wizard (especially one as powerful as Ricky. Now you get why Voldemort wanted Draco and Phoenix (well actually just Draco-but still)).**


End file.
